Spike and the Gang: Danger Deals a Blow
by Spinjitzugirl6310
Summary: The Sequel to Trouble Strikes Again. Spike, April, Irma, Splinter, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Casey Jones are back, and they're not alone. New York has become alien, gang, mutant, and crime network infested in merely months. On top of the Foot, Purple Dragons, and Kraang, a new agency, the Earth Protection Force, has come to town.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back! Yep, Danger Deals a Blow, the sequel promised, is here already. Please read, and review if you enjoyed!**

Sarah (Spike) Sanchez had felt alone for fifteen years, ever since her parents and two little sisters had died in the car accident, despite the presence of her best friend and colleague, April O'Neil.

They were news reporters. At least, April was. Spike helped.

April had gone in to investigate Foot Clan attacks, (The Foot Clan are a criminal organization) and Spike had followed.

In the span of three days, they were captured to be used as hostages, hung off buildings, fought Foot Soldiers, and robot Samurai with their cameraman, Vernon Fenwick.

They also met four Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, that had originally been their childhood pets, and their rat master, Splinter.

Their lives were turned upside down and inside out, and they had defeated evil, eventually, with the turtles' help.

Now April and Spike had joined the turtles in a fight against the Foot, aliens called the Kraang, a gang called the Purple Dragons, and a mysterious agency operated by an Agent Bishop, all of which were producing mutants that were harder and harder to beat.

Slash, a mutated turtle, Bebop, a mutated warthog, and Rocksteady, a mutated rhinoceros. On top of this were things like mutant beavers, and human threats like Karai.

April and Spike had made human allies, Irma Langinstein, a friend from school, and a co-worker, Casey Jones.

Spike also had a secret ally, Skye, a woman from a different dimension who appeared occasionally to her to help her keep from messing up the timeline.

They've done a pretty good job of it so far, with no major complications.

Let's find out what happens next.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Dude, I don't care if I glued the pizza box shut, you _do not_ touch my room!" Spike hollers.

It is two thirty in the morning at her apartment, and she just caught Michelangelo sneaking in.

"It's a prank war! Everything's legal! Nothing is off limits!" he protests.

"Vandalizing my stuffed animals is," she argues. "Put the marker down."

"I was actually going to get your face," he says, sitting the marker down. "I didn't know you have stuffed animals."

"Mostly stuffed Muppets, don't touch Fozzie or Gonzo or she'll kill you," April says groggily, coming out of her room. "Can you guys yell more quietly?"

"I also have stuffed whales," Spike argues. "Look, Mikey, just get out of here, some of us are trying to sleep."

"You sounded wide awake when I got in here," Michelangelo says. He points at a green splotch of paint on his plastron. "Why do you sleep with a paintball gun?"

"Only during prank wars, this is the only one I've had." Spike slings the paintball gun back over her shoulder. "Consider yourself lucky I grabbed the right one and not the Ripley one. I'm going to bed."

She marches to her room and locks the door behind her. "Good night."


	2. Chapter 2

There is a knock at Spike's bedroom door ten minutes later.

Spike opens the door. Michelangelo looks up at her. "Can I come in?"

Spike sighs and moves out of his way. "What do you want?"

"Advice," Michelangelo says, sitting on her bed. "Wow. You really have a stuffed Kermit?"

Spike snatches the stuffed animal up. "You want advice, or a punch in the teeth?"

"Advice," Michelangelo repeats. He grins at her. "Can us mutant turtles date humans?"

Spike stares at him. "What?"

"Do you think a relationship between say…..you and Raph work?"

Spike shakes the image of green gold eyes out of her head. "What?! Uh, no! That's weird!"

"It was an example to show my point," Michelangelo says defensively. "My point is, could we date humans?"

"I…don't know. I mean, I guess you're people too, you're more human than some people I could mention…." Spike shrugs. "On the other hand, you are turtles."

"But what if someone wanted to date one of us? Do you think it'd be okay?"

"I….guess…..so? Don't you think it's too late at night to ask these sorts of questions?"

"Yes!" Michelangelo bounces up with a grin. "Is Irma single?"

"I think so?"

"Nice. Also, Donatello likes April so I just thought I should ask for him too. Good night!" Michelangelo bounds out the window.

Spike sits down on the bed heavily. "Donnie likes April?"

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Hi, Donnie!" Spike says with fake cheerfulness as she enters the lair. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure. Why?"

Spike grabs him and yanks him into the lab and closes the door. "Do you like April?"

"What? Uh, uh, sure! Sure I like April! And I like you, and…uh….Irma….and Casey's okay I guess, but yes, I like you all!" Donatello stutters.

"Liar."

"What?!"

"Donnie, I'm askin' for the truth here, okay? Do you like April, romantically?"

Donatello's cheeks turn slightly pink.

"Dude, I didn't know you could blush," Spike remarks. "You totally like her."

"Well…" his voice squeaks. He clears his throat. "How did you know? Wait, don't answer that. Mikey."

"Head of the class." Spike claps his shoulder.

He puts his head in his hands. "Just don't tell her."

"What kind of jerk do you think I am?" Spike demands.

"You did attack me once."

"I didn't know who you were, twerp." She swings a punch that he blocks easily. "Look, I won't tell her, okay? I know crushes suck."

"You ever have one?"

"No. I was too busy beating up everyone in school." Spike shrugs. She holds her arms out awkwardly. "You want a hug or something?"

Donatello laughs and hugs her briefly. "You are the least comforting comforter I've ever had."

"Thanks. Anytime, man."

"So how do I deal with this?"

"Well, for starters, you're not too terribly obvious, so that's good. I'll try to find out her opinion on the subject, so you just hold tight, got it?" She offers him a half smile. "I'm horrible at this, trust me, but I'd rather her with you than with Casey or Vern."

"Fabulous."


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay, guys, we have a situation!" Donatello cries.

"Foot? Kraang?" Leonardo leans over his shoulder. "What?"

"I don't know. It hasn't matched any signatures we've recently had…."

"Well, let's go check it out," Leonardo says, standing. "Come on guys, let's roll."

Irma comes out of the training room holding up a set of knives. "I'm coming. I picked my weapons!"

"Nice." Michelangelo pats her back with a grin.

"And I have this," April holds up a metal fan. "Cool, huh?"

Spike shrugs. "Uh, if it works for you, that's great."

Casey shrugs and pulls his mask down. "Let's go check it out."

Spike bites her bottom lip and grabs Raphael's arm. "Let's just go."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"So, do we charge it?"

"Holy cow, Jones, you're worse than Raph," Spike hisses. They're all on top of a building across from the point that beeped.

It looks like a normal office building, but by now they all know better.

"No, we watch it for a minute, then we sneak in," Leonardo explains. He waits. "Now."

He fires a grappling hook at the top of the other building, slides his hook onto it, and takes off.

April frowns. "I didn't bring a hook, can I borrow one?"

Spike glances around as an idea strikes her. "You can ride with Donnie, sound good?"

April shrugs. "Okay."

"Really?" Donatello turns to her with wide eyes. He pushes his glasses up his nose. "Okay!" He fastens his hook and wraps an arm around April before pushing off.

Raphael raises an eye ridge at Spike. "Match making, are we?"

"You'll thank me when your brother doesn't die alone, Meathead," she shoots back jokingly.

Michelangelo turns to Irma. "Want a ride?"

"How far are you going?" she teases. She wraps her arms around Michelangelo. He pushes off.

"You got one, Jones?" Raphael asks.

"Nope. I'll use my hockey stick," he says confidently.

Raphael turns to Spike. "Need a lift?"

She pulls out her own grappling hook. "Some of us wacko humans come prepared."

He shakes his head and takes off, Spike right behind him.

They wait a minute before Casey joins them on the opposite building. "I'm ready!" He starts towards a window. "I'll break our way in."

Donatello's arm stops him. "Too much noise. I'll get us in in a minute." He kneels next to the window and retrieves a glass cutter and goes to work.

Casey glares at him, but doesn't say anything.

"We're in."

Donatello yanks open the window and they all tumble in.

"Welcome, turtles!" a familiar voice cries.

It's Agent Bishop.


	4. Chapter 4

"Who's this guy?" Casey asks.

"He works for an agency called the Earth Protection Force," Leonardo explains. "What are you doing?"

"Luring you here, obviously. I discovered that you're not alien, and so I don't have that big of an issue with you. However, you will get in my way, so I am going to get you out of it."

"Yeah? How?" Irma challenges.

"Easily." He aims a gun at them. "I realize bullets don't work on you, so let's try something else, shall we?"

Four shots later, he sets the gun down. "You humans don't worry me at all. Goodnight." He turns and leaps out a window.

Donatello gingerly removes the dart from his arm. "What was that?"

"Test it. It could be poison or something," Irma says worriedly.

"He said he didn't want to hurt us," Michelangelo says unsteadily.

"Since when do we trust bad guys?" Spike demands.

"We don't," Raphael says.

Leonardo shakes his head and takes a step forward before collapsing.

Casey bends down. "Is he dead?"

"Check for a pulse, cretin!" Spike shrieks as Raphael pitches forward. Spike tries desperately to hold up the heavy turtle. "Ohhhhhh…C'mon, buddy, you're not gone yet. Don't you dare."

Donatello slumps as April puts his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, we'll get you back…."

Irma almost gets flattened by Michelangelo's unconscious form. "Are they okay?"

"I don't know," Spike admits. She gently (Sort of) lowers Raphael to the ground. "Raph? Raphael?"

"Donnie! Donnie! Come on! Wake up!"

"Mikey? Michelangelo! Can you hear me?"

Spike moves to Leonardo. "Leo, we need you, come on get up!"

No responses.

"Someone's gotta call Splinter," April says shakily.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Yeah, we don't know what to do, we can't transport them, and we can't bring the lab to us," Spike says over the phone to Splinter.

April bursts in from the room where they left the turtles. "Spike! Come quick!"

Spike's eyes widen. "Talk to you later, bye!" She hangs up and races out.

"They changed!" Irma squeaks. "Just…changed! Smaller, they look younger! This must be what he meant by just out of his way! He _de-aged_ them! Kids are no threat!"

"What?!" Spike hollers. "This is insane!"

A much younger Leonardo sits up. "What is?"

Spike stares at him in absolute horror. "Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"This is bad," Irma remarks.

Donatello sits up too, pushing majorly oversized glasses up his nose. "What's going on?"

"He's cute!" April squeals.

Donatello peers up at her. "April?" his voice squeaks.

"This is not the time to be thinking that he's cute," Spike hisses. "Save that for grown-up Donatello."

April gives her a strange look. "What?"

"I mean we need to fix him."

"We don't need fixin'." A much smaller Raphael crosses his arms defiantly. "Nothin' technically _wrong _with us."

Spike stares at him. "Buddy, we need you fixed."

Raphael's mask falls off. "We just need to get back to our normal ages."

"That's what she means," Casey says. "Probably. So what do we do?"

"Eat," Michelangelo says, bouncing up with a grin.

"Awww…." Irma smiles.

"No! No 'awwws' here," Spike stands up. "Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey, pull your shorts up and let's move, we're heading home."

"What do we do?" Donatello asks.

"Science," she says. He grins.


	5. Chapter 5

"Splinter? Yeah, well, the darts actually didn't kill them or anything," Spike explains. They're on the way back to the lair, over buildings so they're not spotted. "They just…de-aged them."

She winces. "Yeah, I know this is bad, we're heading back there to fix it." She hoists Raphael higher on her shoulders. "Uh-huh. About eight, I'd say. No trouble yet, we'll be there soon." She hangs up and turns around. "How are we doing?"

"Donnie's heavier than I thought," April admits. Donatello glances apologetically at her and wraps his arms tighter around her shoulders.

"Do you want me to get down?" he asks.

"No, we need to get there fast, and I think we move faster than you do right now," Irma says, shifting Michelangelo.

Leonardo pulls himself higher up on Casey. "How far is the lair now?"

"Uh, not too terribly," Spike says. "At least, I don't think so. Come on, the sooner we get there, the sooner you grow back."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

They put the kids down as soon as they enter the lair. Michelangelo takes off, shorts hiked up, and hugs Splinter. "Daddy, look what happened!"

Splinter pats his son. "I see." He glances up. "Well?"

"No problems," Spike reports. "Except Raph givin' me lip, but that's something he does as an adult too."

Said turtle glares up at her. "Some things hafta stay the same."

"Shut your little mouth, Red."

"I won't be little when I grow up again."

"But you are now." Spike picks him up and holds him at eye level. "See?"

He kicks once. "Lemme down."

She sets him down. "I was never good with kids," she confesses.

April rolls her eyes.

Irma turns. "Okay! Laboratory time. Let's re-age some turtles."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"First we gotta get some DNA off of them," Irma reasons. "And then probably look at it under a microscope."

"Okay," April says. "I'll call one of them in." She turns and bumps into Donatello. He stares up at her.

"You can take some of mine," he offers. He sticks his arm out and grins. "I can help."

April smiles and runs a swab over his arm and hands it to Irma. "Thanks, Donnie."

"No problem." He hauls himself onto a chair and swings his legs. "Spike's trying to babysit Mikey and Raph."

"Not Leo?" Irma asks bemusedly.

"Leo's reading."

"Of course he is," April says. "Where's Casey?"

Donatello makes a face. "Home, I think. Spike told him to leave before she shoved his hockey stick down his throat."

"Why did she say that?" April asks in shock.

"Because he was laughing at her a bit." Donatello shrugs. "I think she has problems."

April chuckles.


	6. Chapter 6

"OK kids, we are gonna watch a Star Trek movie marathon until you guys grow up, you got it?" Spike points at Raphael and Michelangelo.

Michelangelo nods. Raphael shrugs. "Is it as good as Lord of the Rings was?"

"No, of course not. Nothing's as good as Lord of the Rings, but I can't watch The Running Man with you as kids, it might scar you for the rest of your lives."

She sticks in the DVD and sits on the couch. Michelangelo grabs Lily and bounces into her lap. "So it's about space?"

"Exploring space, yeah," Spike glances awkwardly at the happy turtle holding his cat sitting in her lap. "Uh…."

Michelangelo leans against her stomach. "Are you Mom until we grow up?"

Spike shrugs helplessly. "I don't think so."

"Older sister," Raphael declares. "Definitely." He climbs up beside her. Leonardo sets his book down and sits next to Raphael.

"I like Star Trek," Leonardo comments.

"Great, because I am no help in science and this is all we got until you kids grow up." Spike hits the play button and sits back.

"Can I grab a cookie?" Michelangelo asks after a minute.

"No."

"Come on! Please?"

"No."

Michelangelo turns and fixes his baby blue eyes on her. "Please, sis?"

Spike closes her eyes. "I will not be persuaded by your puppy face. Go ask your father."

"He'll say no too."

"There's your answer."

Michelangelo sighs.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

April enters the living room during the second Star Trek episode and glances at the sleeping Michelangelo curled up on Spike's lap. Lily has long ago wandered off.

Spike notices her and stands up, carefully holding Michelangelo steady. She walks over with him.

"Well?" she whispers.

"We think we've found how the thing works, so now we're trying to reverse it," April explains, whispering as well. "So that's good news."

"How long will it take?"

"We don't know," April admits. "How are you handling it?"

"Leo's an angel," Spike says in mock disgust. "Raphael was really ticked earlier but settled down fast. Michelangelo is…." Spike hoists him gently. "Quiet, for now," she says, smiling slightly. "How's Donnie?"

"Still smart, and he's adorable as a kid, to be honest," April says, grinning. "And he's trying so hard to help us."

Spike shakes her head. "So pretty much exactly like how he turns out."

"What?"

"Smart, hardworking, and adorable."

"He is? I mean, I know that he's smart and hardworking, but…adorable?" April shrugs. "I guess he is."

Spike nods. "Mmm hmm." She shifts Michelangelo. "I'll take this one to bed, okay?"

April waves. "Okay. Have fun babysitting."

Spike takes Michelangelo to his room and April sighs. "She's such a sap for these kids."

Irma chuckles from over her shoulder. "They're what she needed."


	7. Chapter 7

"Three Star Treks in," Leonardo remarks.

"Correct."

"How much boldly going are we going to do?" Raphael asks.

Spike shrugs. "Until you fall asleep too."

"Not gonna happen." He leans back and crosses his arms. "I don't take naps."

"Bet you did when you were eight."

Leonardo chuckles a little.

"Dude, I still take naps if I can, and I'm twenty three years old," Spike says wisely. "One of the rules in life is 'sleep while you can'."

"That's not an actual rule," Raphael argues.

"Yeah it is. Hush up, the episode's starting."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Donatello pads out of the lab into the living room and leans over the back of the couch. "Spike?"

She turns and puts a finger to her lips. He frowns and pushes his incredibly oversized glasses up his nose.

She points at Raphael, who is leaning against her side and snoring away. She grins. "What's up?" she asks quietly.

"April wants you," he whispers.

Spike starts to stand, carefully lowering Raphael to the couch. She turns to go, but something grabs her around the wrist. She looks down at Raphael, who has a hold of her arm, still sleeping.

"Sap," she accuses the turtle. She picks him up and settles him and follows Donatello.

"If he's a sap, why are you carrying him?" Donatello asks.

"Someone's gotta take care of us saps," April says, coming out to meet them. "I think Raphael grows out of it."

"He does," Donatello agrees. "He used to be like this, but when we got older he got tougher and meaner."

"That's the way people are," Spike says quietly. "They start out fine, and things happen and people change."

Donatello glances up at her. "I get that impression from a few people," he remarks. He blinks. "We're close to coming up with an antidote that will turn us back."

"That's great," Spike says, shifting Raphael against her shoulder.

April smiles, then laughs.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, looking at them all now, imagine what would have happened if we had _kept _the turtles and rat from Dad's lab."

Spike turns huge eyes on her. "It would've been chaos!"

"It would have been fun," April protests, still giggling. "I mean, they may not have learned Ninjitzu-"

"Which would be awful considering the alien invasion now!"

"Ok but they still would have had the super strength," April reminds her. "It would have been hilarious! Can you see Mom's face?"

"Uh, yeah, she doesn't know about these guys _now._ Can you imagine bringing them home and having them mutate in our little apartment?!"

Donatello looks back and forth with a grin. "It would have been astonishing."

"They wouldn't have fit! You mom would have _killed us._" Spike stops and smirks. "It would've been hilarious."

"We could have brought them to school."

Raphael coughs in his sleep and Spike pats his shell.

April raises her eyebrows. "Wow. I thought you weren't good with kids?"

"I'm not. But I know these kids, and I know who they become, so I'm willing to put up with them." Spike shrugs. "If you'll excuse me, I got a kid to tuck in." She makes a face. "Jeez, I sound like their mom."

"You do anyway," Donatello points out.

"Quiet, nerd."

"_That_ sounds like you again," Donatello says happily.

"Thanks."


	8. Chapter 8

After Raphael and Michelangelo wake up, Spike, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo play three rounds of Clue.

Irma marches in with a wide smile on her face. "We just found the antidote!"

"Awesome!" Michelangelo cries.

Raphael shoots to his feet. "Good. I should go first."

"As scientist, I should go first," Donatello argues from behind Irma.

"As leader, _I'm _going first," Leonardo says firmly, stepping forward.

Irma holds out the needle and carefully injects it into his arm. He smiles and steps back as she takes it out. "Next?"

Raphael jumps into Leonardo's place, arm held out. Irma refills the syringe and sticks him as well.

Donatello takes it next, then Michelangelo.

Spike sighs with relief as she picks the game up. "Good. It's been weird."

"Are you saying we're weird as kids?" Michelangelo asks.

"No, I'm saying it's weird to see you as kids after seeing you much older," Spike explains. "So, after fighting with you guys, and all that crazy stuff we've all been through, seeing y'all as kids was really weird."

Michelangelo shrugs. "Is it working yet?"

"Uh, yeah," Spike admits, stepping back. "Look, y'all step out for a bit, I got your bigger clothes in the training room. Beat it."

All four turtles, now roughly twelve years old, skip out.

"Spike Amelia Sanchez, you are a mother hen!" Irma exclaims.

"Five of the most beautiful words ever said to me," Spike says seriously. "Someone's gotta take care of these nuts."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Leonardo's the first one out, more or less smiling. "That was weird all over. Where was Sensei?"

"He said he raised you once, he wasn't going to do it again for one day," Spike says.

April laughs. Leonardo pats April's shoulder.

Raphael's out next, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. "Well, that's better."

"I'll say," Spike utters, fist bumping him.

Donatello comes out, awkwardly cleaning his glasses. He looks up and smiles. "Success!"

April hugs him. Donatello starts, and happily hugs her back.

"Yo, Cowabunga! Mikey's back in the house!" Michelangelo bursts out, grinning from ear to ear. "And all thanks to you." He picks Irma up and spins her.

"I was there too," Donatello reminds him. "And so was April."

"Yeah okay, thanks," Michelangelo says absently, putting Irma down.

Leonardo taps Spike's shoulder. "Can I talk to you?"

Spike stares at him. "Is something wrong?"

"Maybe. Come on, follow me."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Leonardo, what's up?" Spike asks. "You take me out of the lair and up to a building for what?"

"Do you think I'm a bad leader?"

The question startles her. "What? No, of course not. Why, do you think you are?"

"My team is continually kidnapped, trapped, and we get our brains swapped and de-age. I was wondering if we need someone else in charge," Leonardo says quietly.

"Uh, who, someone who can magically sense traps?" Spike grasps his shoulders. "Who would we put in charge? Raphael? Sure, he's decisive, but he's also impulsive and quick tempered. Donatello, maybe? He's smart, yeah, but he doesn't think for the whole team! Michelangelo, perhaps? He's good natured, but easily distracted, and his head is too far in the clouds. No one else could lead this team. Not Raph, not Donnie, not Mikey, or April, or Irma, and definitely not me." She shakes her head. "Leo, you can't save everyone all the time. You've gotten us out of plenty of scrapes with your plans and leadership. I would've followed you to the fires of Mordor."

Leonardo frowns. "Did you come up with that whole thing on the spot?"

"All but that last bit, that's from Lord of the Rings. The point is, I didn't draw you as Captain America for nothing, buddy." Spike claps his shoulder. "Come on, Fearless Leader, let's head in and we'll eat something unhealthy."

"Sounds like a plan," Leonardo smiles. He shakes his head. "You just pulled that whole speech out of your ear."

"Uh-huh. I could've been a politician. Another thing, why did you ask me?"

"Because you were older and more mature than I am. You're cautious. I thought you'd know."

"Buddy, I may be older, but something tells me you may just be more mature than I am," Spike admits.

**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review to tell me what you thought.**


	9. Chapter 9

April sits looking at the Zodiac signs on the internet. Spike lies on the couch, eyes closed, arm draped over her eyes. Casey sits next to April, leaning over her shoulder. Irma is settled next to the couch. She glances at Spike.

"What are five things you should never break?" Irma asks her.

"Hmmm?" Spike moves her arm and opens an eye. "What?"

"What are five things you should never break?" Irma repeats.

"Oh." Spike moves her arm back. "Hearts, DVDs, beds, Ferraris and tanks."

"Well that gives us insight on _your_ priorities," Irma remarks.

"Anything to help."

"Thinking of hearts implies you have one," Casey jokes.

Spike sighs. "Thinking of anything implies you have a brain."

"Snap!" Irma crows.

"Guys, try to get along," April says, glancing up.

Spike settles back into the couch. "I was just responding in kind, April."

Irma turns bottle green eyes on Spike. "You do that a lot."

"In our line of work, you learn to."

"Which line of work, the world saving, or holding the camera?" April asks.

"Which do you think?" Spike shoots back.

"I don't know, Empress of Butt-Kicking."

"Nah, I'm not that great." Spike moves her arm off of her face. "I beat Mikey _once _in sparring. Leonardo's ten times better than I am."

"Darn right," Casey agrees. "I think I'm better."

"We'll pit _you _against Mikey then," Irma says pointedly. "See how well _you _do."

Casey shrugs. "As a male, I'm naturally stronger."

"Strength doesn't always win you fights," Spike declares. "You need brains. Instinct. Speed. Cunning. Strength certainly helps, but you can't always just charge in there like a pack of Klingons and expect to emerge the victor."

"She's right," April comments. "That's why Leonardo's such a good fighter. He's not stronger than Raphael, but he's got better ideas and plans. He can strategize, and assign each of us to the role we do best in."

"They've all got skill sets," Irma thinks aloud. "That's why they're so hard to beat together. Donnie's the brains, Raphael's the brawn, Michelangelo's speed, and Leonardo's cunning?"

"Bang, we have a winner," Spike announces.

She notices something at the window.

Or someone.

_Skye, Darnit not now!_

Skye waves and disappears off the fire escape. Spike bounds over and slams the curtains shut, blocking anyone's nosy views.

Spike settles back with a slight frown.

"So, what's my skill set?" Irma asks.

"Don't know. You haven't been training long enough for us to figure it out," Spike remarks, trying to keep the edge out of her voice. "I mean, my skill set is brawling. Not as much ninja moves as it is head-bashing."

"You alternate," April muses. "Sometimes you go Hulk Mode, but then sometimes you fight like Black Widow. It depends on your mood, I think."

"And who I'm fighting," Spike adds.

The doorbell rings.

Spike bolts up. "I'll get it."

**What's Skye doing? Who even is she? Thank you for reading, and please leave a review to leave thoughts and opinions!**


	10. Chapter 10

Spike whips the door open. "Skye?"

"Hello, Spike," Skye says agreeably. "Congratulations about beating Michelangelo!"

Spike crosses her arms. "What do you want?"

"Well, someone ordered these for you," Skye produces a bouquet of flowers.

"More?" Spike asks incredulously.

"Someone really likes you, I guess," Skye shrugs. She hands her the bunch of white roses. "Purity. Cute, huh?"

"I'm no more pure than I am purple," Spike snaps. "Where do these keep coming from?"

"They wish to remain anonymous," Skye remarks. "Secret admirer or something."

"I didn't get any of this stuff when I was in _school_," Spike grumbles. "Why couldn't you have come later?"

"I'm busy myself, you know," Skye informs her. "I'm not here just for you."

Spike sighs. "What ominous hints do you have for me?"

Skye smiles. "Ever think about starting a band?"

"Once, in seventh grade," Spike answers.

"And I leave you with a question for you to answer next time we meet: What are you most afraid of?" Skye smiles and turns. "Goodnight, Spike."

And she leaves.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Who was that?" Irma asks from behind her.

Spike nearly jumps out of her skin. "Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"I didn't sneak. I just came out to check on you." She points. "Are those _flowers_?"

"Yeah, roses." Spike sets about looking for a jar.

"From _who?!_"

"That's what I'd like to know, but they keep turning up anonymously."

"Keep turning up? Did you get more?" Irma asks in astonishment.

"Yeah, I got some a couple months ago. Yellow ones." Spike fills a jar full of water and sets it on the table, putting the flowers in it.

"April!" Irma yowls. "Spike got flowers!"

"More?!" April enters the kitchen. "Wow! Aren't you someone's favorite!"

"Heck if I know _why_," Casey remarks from behind her.

"Casey!" April exclaims in shock. "What was that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it, April," Spike mutters. "Nothin' I haven't said myself."

April shakes her head. "You'd think you'd be more excited, Spike."

"I've never been into flowers as much," Spike admits. "Although I heard there are some that mean death."

Irma rolls her eyes. "You know about the flower language?"

"Only a little. I've been told bits from different people over the last few months," Spike points out. "These supposedly means purity, which means this person obviously doesn't know me."

"They didn't say pure good," Casey remarks. "Could be pure evil."

Irma turns. "And you could be pure stupidity."

"Y'know, I'm gonna take a walk." Spike heads out the door. "See y'all later."

April sighs.

**Who keeps sending Spike flowers anyway? Where's she going? Does the author have answers to her own questions? Thank you for reading, and please, let me know about any speculation!**


	11. Chapter 11

"Skye!" Spike shouts from the top of a building. "Skye!"

"Well observed," Skye remarks dryly, stepping out of the shadows. "What's wrong?"

"A few things."

"Is it the flowers?" Skye asks bemusedly.

"Forget the flowers."

"Your worst fears?" Skye tries.

"Not yet." Spike waves a hand.

"I understand. Don't want to admit you're scared of anything. Perhaps it's Donnie and April, and Irma and Mikey?"

"What?!" Spike glances at her. "Maybe. I don't know. I just felt I needed to talk to you….I guess that'd be a good place to start."

Skye shrugs. "You thought it'd be fine in the beginning?"

"Well, that was my first thought. I thought they'd be good together. But they're mutant turtles, and April has a mother and Irma has both parents. I don't know what to do about both of them." Spike sighs.

"I told you before. I can't tell you what to do, or how to live. I'm here to stop the really bad things that aren't supposed to happen." Skye looks at her compassionately. "That's one of your problems. I can only deal with the ones too big for you alone."

And Skye disappears.

"Skye? Skye!"

"Well observed."

Spike spins. "Karai?!"

"Hm?"

"How long have you been there?" Spike demands.

"Long enough. You're meeting with a woman who uses Kraang portals who solves big problems?" Karai steps into the light.

Spike's hand snaps out to grasp her collar. "Tell anyone, and-"

"You'll kill me? That's a bit dark for you."

Spike sighs. "Just…."

"I understand." Karai puts a hand on her hip. "I like you, Spike. Even if you're not on our side, you're good. I'm just following orders. If it were up to me, I'd let you live, and maybe even your friends." She shrugs. "It's not up to me though."

"You can still join us."

"I can't leave the Foot." Karai crosses her arms. "Let's talk about something else. What's new with your group?"

"Karai, I don't know why I should tell. If I do, you'll try to target certain people to get to others."

Karai waves her hand. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Why should I believe you?" Spike asks.

Karai shrugs. "Why would I lie?" She turns her face, showing the still healing bruises and cuts Spike gave her.

"To bring the Foot clan down on our heads." Spike jabs a finger in Karai's chest. "I don't know what your angle is that you think you can get to them through me."

Karai shakes her head. "You think you have me all figured out?"

"I'm on the good side, you're on the evil, what more do I have to figure out?!"

"People aren't black and white!" Karai says. "Why are you so mistrusting of everyone?"

"Because I learned it's better safe than sorry," Spike growls. "You've tried to kill us before."

"What would convince you I'm not trying to kill you?"

"Not trying to kill me." Spike turns and starts down off the roof.

**What's Karai's game? What's she after? Please leave a review to let me know if you have any ideas! Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

"What are you drawing?" April asks.

Spike stares down at her sketchbook in surprise.

April leans over her shoulder. "Is that Michelangelo with a drum set?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so." Spike shakes her head at her own art. "I dunno, I just started drawing and this just….happened."

"Us in a band just happened?" April asks bemusedly.

"Yeah."

"How good do you think Leonardo _really _is on the guitar?" April teases.

Spike pushes at her. "You're hilarious."

"You take walks an awful lot," April comments.

"Yeah." Spike closes her sketch pad. "I'm going to bed, okay?"

April gives her a concerned look. "You'd tell me if anything was wrong, right?"

"Yeah."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

_She thought it was odd that he was the first one to die._

_Spike dove for Raphael, catching him before he hit the ground. Shredder stood over them, laughing, his knives drenched in blood._

_She didn't know where she was. Shredder looked different._

_Raphael looked different. Smaller. Darker green skin._

_She wiped the trickle of blood away from his mouth. "No. Stay with me, Raph. C'mon, don't leave me….."_

_Leonardo was at her shoulder, the same shade as Raphael. Almost identical._

_"__Is he-"_

_Spike closed her eyes. "I don't know."_

_Donatello looked up at her. "He's not going to make it," he said softly._

_Spike froze._

_Not Raphael. He was always the strongest, he was brave, he couldn't die. He was indestructible._

_And yet he was bleeding out right in front of her._

_"__Sarah," he said softly. He coughed. "Don't cry."_

_Spike shoved angrily at the tears. "You're going to live. You're going to survive, you have to. Listen to me. You'll be fine."_

_It didn't matter._

_He was already gone._

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"NO!"

Spike sits up drenched in sweat. She stares at the wall in front of her, gathering her knees up to her chest.

_It's alright, you're fine,_ she tells herself. _He's fine._

She glances at the clock. 3:00 AM.

She stands and flicks on her light. Around her, hung on the walls, are each and every picture she received for her birthday by the turtles.

Spike runs her hand over one Raphael drew. It was her, back when she had long hair. She looked slightly amused.

_He's alright._

She sits back on her bed. _I'm tired of nightmares._

_What do I fear the most?_

_Failure, rejection, and losing the ones I care about._

She squeezes her eyes closed.

And she doesn't go back to sleep.

**Thank you for reading! Also, the dream she had was set in the 2003 universe, by the way! Please leave a review!**


	13. Chapter 13

"If there are three things I love, it's good friends, good food, and getting stronger," Spike declares underneath Leonardo. "Good friends meaning people willing to pummel me to help me get stronger."

"Does that mean you yield or no?"

"That's a yes."

Leonardo helps her up. "If it makes you feel better, you're improving."

"Thanks. It's not makin' this feel better though." She gestures at a bruise on her cheekbone.

Leonardo chuckles. "I can't do anything about that."

"I know."

April marches in, metal fan held high. "My turn?"

"No sparring yet," Leonardo warns. "Okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because they'd kill us," Irma explains from behind April. "Easily. They wouldn't mean to, but they would."

"Well, I know for a fact that Leonardo and Raphael at least could snap Spike in two," April argues.

"Yeah, but they try not to. She's more used to physical strain, so it's easier." Irma shrugs. "I haven't touched a dumbbell."

April sighs. "Me neither. I guess you're right."

"If only people realized that more often," Irma jokes.

Leonardo smiles. "I'm turning you two over to Splinter. I got something special for Spike."

"Is it another pounding?" Spike asks.

"No. By the way, did you ever try out that bladed mace?"

"Not yet."

"Okay. Anyway, I'm going to teach you the basics to using the katana swords," Leonardo says proudly.

"Fire away."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"I cannot do this," Spike declares. "In all the battle I've been in, in _training_ I get cut."

"You've gotten sliced in fights, c'mon! Your first fight with us you got cut!" Leonardo points out. "I mean, I still don't understand how you managed to do this in training, but-"

Spike swats at his arm. "I defer to your better knowledge of the Ways of the Ninja, O Wise Leonardo."

"Thank you," Leonardo says in amusement. "You want to talk to Raphael about that? He might listen to you better."

Spike snorts. "Sure. Because he's easy to convince."

Leonardo nods. "Uh-huh. Bet you never call him 'O Wise Raphael', huh?"

"Never have, never will."

Leonardo smiles. "Okay. Sword up, show me what you got." Spike tentatively raises the katana.

"Not like that. This is not a broadsword."

Spike sighs heavily and adjusts.

"Better."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"We'll keep going on that," Leonardo says, patting her shoulder. "You'll get better."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Spike says dryly, setting the swords down. "Even if I learn to use these, I'm stickin' with the mace."

"Just out of curiosity, why?"

"Easier to wound people with it," Spike explains. "What you do with katanas is incredible, Leo. You've mastered an art. It took you a long time, and watching you fight, I recognize how amazing it is." Spike shrugs. "That's not me, though. I'm not ninja, or graceful. I beat people up, without style."

Leonardo shakes his head. "Well, I'm here to teach you style, grace, and how to ninja, so don't worry."

"Thanks, Fearless Leader."

**How do you think her training's going? Please, let me know! Thanks for reading, and I'll be back with another chapter real soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

With the additions of Irma and Casey, Donatello had to continue renovating the Turtle Assault Van, and eventually made a new one big enough to fit them.

With it being October, and cold weather approaching, no one, especially the turtles, wanted to go on patrol in the freezing weather.

Oh yes.

It's October.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Hey guys, we should totally have a Halloween party," April suggests.

Irma nods enthusiastically. "That'd be fun!"

Michelangelo grins widely. "That sounds like one of the coolest things ever! We could totally have one! We could have a costume party, and watch movies, and eat candy!"

"What's this?" Splinter asks.

"We were thinking about having a party?" Michelangelo turns. "Sensei. It'd just be one night? We've been really good for a long time and we haven't even gone to the hashi in forever so please?"

Splinter chuckles. "I am not against the idea of fun, you know." He nods. "You may have a party, yes. As long as nothing comes up."

Michelangelo nods. "Thanks, Sensei!" He turns. "I gotta go tell Leo. Thanks for the idea!"

He stops. "Wait. We should all have themed costumes! We could all be a set, you know?"

Irma laughs. "Good idea!"

He makes a face. "Just gotta convince Raph. He's no fun sometimes."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"That's right, I'm no fun. Remember that," Raphael growls to his youngest brother.

Michelangelo shrugs. "But is the party okay?"

He rolls his eyes. "I don't care." He circles the training mat again, eyes trained on Spike. "Whatever."

"Spike?" Michelangelo asks. "How about you?"

"Go ahead." She narrows her eyes at Raphael. "You're unnaturally reserved today."

"Oh?"

"You usually throw a punch real early. Not so today." Spike cocks her head. "How come?"

"Maybe I'm getting more careful." He makes a feint to the left, then switches direction for a tackle.

Spike's eyes widen and she ducks. "Yow!"

"Better!" Leonardo calls.

She spins to block a punch, pushing at Raphael's plastron.

He moves back a little, to give him room for a kick. She leaps to the side and pushes as hard as she can at his knee.

Raphael almost goes down, grabbing her by the arm and twisting it, pushing her to the floor instead.

She sighs and stands.

"You are improving," Leonardo says. "Maybe one day you'll be able to keep up with us."

"In ten years," Spike jokes. She wipes the sweat off her forehead. "See, it's not just skill. The mutagen gave y'all super powers or something."

Donatello pokes his head in. "We got a blip! Let's go!"

**Ooh, party. Thanks so much for reading, and please, let me know what you think in the review box!**


	15. Chapter 15

"It's a lab," Donatello remarks. He squints through his goggles and frowns. "Okay, I don't see any traces of mutagen."

"Great." Casey draws a baseball bat. "Let's get whoever this is."

Spike frowns and tilts her head. "Which do you think, Sacks or Stockman?"

Leonardo shakes his head. "Don't know. Ok, we move on my signal." He crouches. "One…two…"

Casey breaks the window in.

Leonardo sighs. "I swear he's worse than Raph."

"Much worse," Spike agrees. She gestures at the window. "After you, Captain."

Leonardo rolls through and comes up with his swords out.

"Stockman," he calls back. "It's Stockman."

"Correct," the scientist says. He crosses his arms. "Come to thwart me again?"

"That's usually how we do things," Michelangelo informs him. "But if you were a good guy, we wouldn't have a problem at all."

Baxter Stockman laughs unpleasantly. "Who says I'm bad? Uniting the peoples of the Earth under our leadership. Unity. Peace!"

"Pretty sure that's what Hitler said," April points out.

He starts. "April O'Neil. You've changed."

"So have you," April says sourly. "Not for the better, I must say."

He shrugs. "Here to see my latest creation?"

"No. Here to beat it," Raphael growls.

"Same thing, with you." He gestures at little metal bodies with chomping teeth and two small legs walk out. "Meet my Mobile Offensive Underground Excavation Search and Retrieval Sentries, or MOUSERS."

"Just a quick question: How long did it take you to come up with that name?" Donatello asks.

Stockman blanches. "A few weeks-I mean, none of your business!"

"So what do these little buggers do?" Irma asks. "I mean, do they have weapons?"

"They don't need them. They're relentless. Organics weaken and tire, but these go on. When you slow, they'll chop you to bits with their teeth." One MOUSER opens it's mouth to show it's teeth.

"Lovely." Irma draws a knife tentatively.

"Of course, just because they don't need them doesn't mean they don't have them," Stockman adds.

The MOUSERS open fire.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Spike pushes April and Irma to the floor, drawing her bladed mace. "Leo?"

Stockman laughs and leaves them to his creations.

"I'm seeing maybe twenty," Leonardo notes. "Shouldn't be too big of a problem."

Donatello deflects a blaster bolt. "Remember, these aren't bullets, they harm us!"

"They're bulletproof?" Irma squeaks.

Leonardo slices through an approaching MOUSER.

"Try to deactivate them! I'd like to study one," Donatello cries.

Spike swings the bladed mace and watches it slice through two of them. "Oh yeah, I like this."

"Study one?" Raphael asks incredulously. He stabs a MOUSER. "I think they'd like to study US!"

"And by that we mean dissect," Irma remarks.

She hesitantly stands and drives her dagger through the head of a MOUSER. It falls.

"Congratulations," Spike says dryly. "That was your first kill, soldier."

**Eh? Ehhhh? MOUSERS, anyone? Okay. Anyway, thanks so much for reading, I really appreciate the reviews, so please leave more! I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16

"Well, that didn't take long," Leonardo admits, kicking through the pile of broken MOUSERS. "Well done, team."

Donatello kneels next to a MOUSERS head and picks it up. "I'm going to take this one back to the lair."

"How come?" Casey asks, arms crossed. "We know how to destroy them, right?"

"So we can get more information. We may find out how they're built, or get a clue as to the Foot's plans." Donatello frowns. "This entire situation is getting out of hand."

"Yeah. Aliens, evil ninja, and more mutants," Michelangelo declares. "This has been a big year for us."

Raphael growls in frustration. "I wish we knew what they were doing. Why all the mutants? Are they trying to make a mutant army?"

"That's possible," Irma remarks. She paces through the MOUSERS. "They might have seen how effective you four were in a fight. So they started getting creative. Turtle DNA with mutagen, we've seen those affects. But then, warthog DNA with mutagen. Rhinoceros DNA with mutagen. Who knows what they'll do next? They've altered the mutagen as well. It works more quickly, and they make tons of it." She stops pacing. "I mean, it's probably a safe bet that they want to take over the world."

"They do," Spike says quietly. "The Kraang and the Foot are working together to try to achieve world domination. They plan to rule together."

Leonardo shoots her a glance. "How do you know?"

"It seems obvious," Spike says nervously. "The Foot wants to rule the world, they made that no secret. Then the Kraang come. The Foot works with the Kraang now. It's a logical conclusion."

"She's right," April admits. "That's how it seems to be going."

"Then there are the Earth Protection Force, who are against aliens but still get in our way," Donatello thinks aloud. "And the Purple Dragons, who sometimes work with the Foot."

Spike nods. "Hey, speaking of which, how about we be on the lookout for the escape of a criminal called Xever. The Foot don't let their allies out of their sight for long."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

_"__Her absence filled the world," Skye said. She turned to look at Spike. Spike frowned in confusion._

_She wanted to ask who, but her body didn't comply. "It's been a year," she whispered. Spike realized where she was. A cemetery._

_"__You did your best. You all did." Skye put her hands in her pockets. "Casey's still not over it, is he?"_

_"__No." Spike turned to the grave. She didn't seem surprised to read the name._

_April Jones._

_"__None of us are," Spike admitted._

_The Spike that was dreaming shouted questions in her mind. Where was she? Why was April dead? She married Casey?_

_No answers came to her._

Spike Sanchez wakes up. "What's with these nightmares?"

"Would you like an answer?"

**What's with these nightmares anyway, eh? thanks so much for reading, and remember that every review counts.**


	17. Chapter 17

"What are you doing in my room?" Spike demands. She squints in the dark. It's Skye's voice, that's certain.

"Waiting for the answer of the question I asked you. What are you afraid of?"

"Failure, rejection, and losing the ones I care about," Spike whispers.

"Not uncommon fears," Skye remarks absently. "What do you think of Karai?"

"I think she's up to something," Spike growls. "She's not to be trusted. She's with the Foot, and the Foot have released threat after threat."

"All good statements. All reasonable."

"Stop being cryptic. I'd like a straightforward answer," Spike says crossly.

"I can't give you one. I told you-"

"My life is mine to live," Spike grumbles. "I know."

"Correct. Goodbye, Spike."

It's only after Skye leaves that Spike realizes that Skye never told her anything about her dreams.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Hey, Spike, Mikey called," April says, frying an egg.

"Oh?" Spike yawns and lets her head fall forward onto her arms. "What about?"

"Our Halloween party." April grins. "We're going as the Avengers."

Spike hums.

"Leo's Captain America," April says.

"Tell me something I don't know," Spike utters dryly.

April shakes her head. "Donnie's Hawkeye."

"Mm hm."

"Mikey's actually Thor because he decided Iron Man would be too hard."

"I'm going to make a stab in the dark and guess that if Raph's participating he's the Incredible Hulk," Spike says.

"Bingo," April laughs. "That only leaves us. Mikey's going to see if he can get Master Splinter to wear an eye patch."

"Well, who would _you _consider going as?" Spike asks.

"Agent Hill. Irma's Jane Foster."

"No Black Widow?" Spike asks, lifting her head in surprise.

"We saved that for you," April tells her. "Figured you'd like it, you know."

Spike lifts a corner of her mouth. "Well, thanks." She sours. "Who's Jones?"

"He's thinking about Iron Man," April informs her.

"A self-centered womanizer. Seems right."

"Spike!"

"What?" Spike shrugs. "He is. The only differences are that Tony Stark is a genius billionaire."

April swats her arm. "You're hard on him, you know? He's not bullying you anymore."

"Whatever you say." She shakes her head, remembering her dream. _April and Casey? _"You wouldn't consider getting into a relationship with him, are you?"

"I don't think so," April chuckles. "Why?"

"He seems to be considering it with you, that's all."

April shrugs. "What do you think of Mikey with Irma?"

"He's better about her than he was about you," Spike points out. "Remember?"

April grins. "Yeah. He was funny, wasn't he?"

Spike shakes her head. "You passed out first time you saw him and he flirted."

"You punched him a few minutes later."

"Fair point."

**Ta da! Avengers themed. Anyway, thanks so much for reading, please review, and I'll see you next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

The night of the actual 'wing ding' arrived.

The humans gathered at April and Spike's apartment before heading to the lair.

April grins at Irma. "I think we had it easy. I mean, we're not actual Avengers, you know?"

Spike tugs on a boot and rubs at her SHIELD patch. "How does Black Widow actually fight in this? It's kinda tight."

April shrugs. "I don't know."

A knock at the door interrupts the conversation. "That'll be Casey," Irma remarks. She opens the door.

Casey Jones is outfitted in a plastic Iron Man costume. "What do you think?" His voice is somewhat muffled due to the mask.

"I think I should ask Donnie to make me a real one," Spike comments.

"He can't do that," Casey says.

"I assure you, he can." She crosses her arms.

"Well, come on, let's go to a Halloween party." April turns.

"Hang on," Spike holds up a finger. She disappears into her room and emerges with a few full shopping bags.

"What's in there?" Irma asks.

"Uh…." Spike shrugs a few times. "Special requests?"

April peers into the bag. "Snickers bars?"

Spike whips the bag away. "Leo loves them, and Mikey eats them like they're going out of style."

"Does Splinter know you're bringing candy?" April asks.

"Yeah I asked him. Well, Mikey asked if I could." She hefts the bags. "Let's go."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Michelangelo's there to greet them. "Hey!" He grins and raises his replica of Mjolnir. "Whazzup, Midgardians?"

Spike tugs on the end of his cape. "Pretty sure Thor never said _that_."

"That's what I told him," Donatello remarks. His glasses are covered with sunglasses this time, and his bo staff has been traded for a bow and quiver of arrows. "Agent Romanoff."

"Agent Barton," Spike greets seriously.

April waves.

"Hey, Agent Hill," Donatello waves back.

"Legolas," Casey says.

"Mr. Stark."

"This is ridiculous," Raphael remarks.

"Nice shorts," Spike grins. She ducks as Raphael swings a fist. "There see, you're into your character already."

"Shut up."

"And you're even slightly more articulate."

"Leo's took the longest," Donatello admits. He points. "See?"

Leonardo shrugs. "Eh…"

"Nice work on the cowl," Irma compliments. "Shield made out of real metal?"

"Of course."

Spike nods. "Nice."

Michelangelo points at the bags. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Depends on what you think it is."

"Is that candy?" Michelangelo demands. Spike shrugs and backs up a little.

"Maybe."

Michelangelo pounces. "Lemme see!"

Spike scrambles away, swinging her bags over her shoulder.

"Spike you are twenty three years old, not five!" April cries as Spike dives over the couch, spilling M&M bags.

"Puny human," Michelangelo declares. "Gimme my chocolate!"

Master Splinter, eyepatch indeed over one eye, shakes his head.

Donatello's smile fades as he spots something flashing on his computer. He leans over. "Guys, we have a problem."

**Well, we have an interruption in our party, it seems. Any guesses on what it is? Thanks so much for reading, and reviews are appreciated and encouraged!**


	19. Chapter 19

"Oh, great," Irma says nervously. "What kind of problem?"

"One involving aliens or the Foot, probably," Donatello says, straightening. "Leo?"

"Let's go check it out, team." Leonardo straps his katanas back into place.

"Dressed like this?" April asks.

"Do you have time to change?" Leonardo asks.

April sighs. "Good point."

Donatello grabs his bo staff off the wall and tosses Michelangelo his nunchucks as Raphael scoops his sais up.

Casey shrugs. "Uh, us humans don't have anything."

Spike grasps the handle of a gun and grins. "Not all of us."

Irma laughs. "Let me guess, real guns?"

Spike doesn't say anything. "Let's just go."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

The spot where they got the activity was the top of an ordinary rooftop. When they got there, Donatello discovered his surveillance system, the sensor, had been ripped to shreds.

"I didn't build this cheaply," he says. "Something big did this on purpose."

"Like what? You think maybe Slash?" April asks.

"Or how about Bebop or Rocksteady?" Irma suggests.

"Wrong!" a growling voice cries.

Four turtles and four humans turn around.

Two huge forms stand on the edge of the building. One is a huge wolf with razor sharp teeth and claws. The other is a giant turtle, Slash's size, with spines on the shell.

"What the heck?!" Casey cries.

"More mutants?" Spike groans.

"I'm Rahzar," the wolf says. He gestures at his partner. "This is Tokka. You're the turtles we're supposed to kill."

"Not all of us are turtles," Casey points out. "Are you blind?"

Rahzar scratches at his head. "Stockman didn't say nothin' about humans."

"They've mutated an alligator snapping turtle and a grey wolf," Donatello says quietly.

"He didn't say nothin' 'bout them bein' superheroes neither," Tokka points out gruffly.

Leonardo turns to the others. "Okay guys, let's feel these mutants out. Got that?" They nod. "Mikey?"

Michelangelo's 'Thor' hammer comes down on Tokka's forehead. "Cowabunga, Mortal!"

"Mikey!"

Raphael dashes to Michelangelo's aid as Tokka swings a huge fist. "Ah no you don't!" He grabs the thick wrist and strains to hold it back as Leonardo and Donatello take the wolf.

Irma grasps a Taser. "Let's see if we can help."

April turns. "Spike?"

"You and Irma take the wolf. Jones, you and I go help Mikey and Raph. Stick together and stay safe!" Spike calls.

Casey turns and slides the faceplate up on his Iron Man suit. "What do we do? We don't have weapons."

"Use what you got. Work together! A ninja doesn't rely on his weapons!"

**How do you think this fight's gonna go? And look who I brought. Thanks so much for reading, and all reviews are appreciated and encouraged.**

**I'll see you next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 20

Casey slides in beside Tokka and shoves hard at the mass. Tokka barely notices. He does pay slightly more attention to getting Michelangelo's hammer handle in the eyeball.

Tokka growls and swipes at Michelangelo, who flips backward to get out of the way of the heavy fist. Raphael slams his elbow down into Tokka's wrist. Tokka aims a punch at Raphael instead, pushing him back. Tokka turns and grabs Casey to throw him after them. As his hand closes around Casey's arm, Spike leaps onto Tokka's arm and brings her fist back, driving her knuckles into the side of the huge turtle's jaw.

Tokka frowns and shakes his head before grabbing her arm with the other hand. Michelangelo slammed his hammer into the other side of Tokka's face.

"Put Agent Romanoff down!" he shouts.

"What?" Casey asks. Tokka kicks him aside, knocking the wind out of him.

"Plus leave Iron Man alone," Michelangelo adds.

Tokka swings Spike into Michelangelo's plastron. He stumbles back slightly as he puts her back on her feet. "You okay?" he asks.

"Been better," she groans. She glances behind Michelangelo. "Clear the road."

She and Michelangelo dive out of the way as Raphael slams into Tokka, pushing him back.

Spike glances between Tokka and Rahzar. "Hey, Captain!" she shouts. "What do you say about swapping dance partners?"

Leonardo follows her gaze and nods. "Good idea."

April kicks at the back of Rahzar's knee. "Widow?"

Spike turns. "Get on over here, Hill."

They switch enemies, and the fight goes slightly better.

"This won't help," Rahzar bites out, dragging his claws across Michelangelo's arm.

"Ouch! Why not?" Michelangelo asks.

"We're just keepin' you busy! Stockman's got a bomb rigged in your camera!" Rahzar gestures. "You'll be dead anyway!"

Raphael glances at Spike. "Get Donnie!"

Spike turns. "Donnie!"

Donatello dodges a punch. "Yeah?"

She points at the camera. "There's a bomb in there! Can you disarm it?"

"I can try!"

Donatello splits away, crouching by the camera. Spike lands next to him on her rear end. "These guys are tough," she mutters.

"I know."

Spike spots his bow. "Can I borrow that?"

"Huh?" Donatello lifts his head to glance at her. "The bow?"

"Yeah! I got an idea."

"Whenever you say that, I get scared," Donatello admits. He hands her the bow. "What are you going to do?"

She grabs an arrow from the quiver on his back. "I'm going to play Hawkeye."

**Who let her have arrows.**

**Me.**

**Oh yeah. How do you think it's going? Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you next chapter! Bye!**


	21. Chapter 21

Spike fits the arrow to the bow. "Here goes nothing. Guys, move!" She fires at Rahzar's chest. It explodes into foam.

"Foam?!" Spike glances down at Donatello.

"You're the one that picked that arrow!" Donatello says, staring at the wires. Spike snatches another arrow out of his quiver and fits that to the bow too, aiming at Tokka this time.

"Eat this, loser!" She shoots. This one actually explodes, causing Tokka to stumble back. Seeing this opportunity, Raphael, Michelangelo, and even Casey throw their weight against the huge mutant, knocking him off the building.

Spike drops the bow by Donatello and goes to help dump Rahzar into the street as well.

"Yo, Raph?" Spike calls, joining him.

"Huh?" He turns. "What?"

She points. "Hulk smash."

He rolls his eyes.

"Come on guys!" Leonardo calls. He deflects a swipe of claws with his Captain America shield. Spike drives her boot into Rahzar's kneecap and dives out of the way as Raphael charges, slamming his shoulder into Rahzar's chest. The big wolf loses his balance as Leonardo pushes.

"Lights out!" April hollers as the mutant hits the pavement. She wipes her forehead. "Phew."

Donatello comes back to the group. "Bomb disarmed!" He grins.

Irma chuckles.

"What's so funny?" Casey demands.

"I just realized that we fought a couple mutants while we were dressed like the Avengers," Irma remarks. She cracks up.

Michelangelo laughs too. "Yeah, man. I was all: 'Puny Mortals!'"

Irma stops laughing. "Oh, Mikey you're hurt!"

Michelangelo glances at the scratches across his arm. "Oh, it's not that bad. Donnie will fix me up when we get home."

"Yes I will," Donatello announces.

"We should get home," Leonardo says.

"Yeah, we haven't even eaten any candy," Michelangelo points out.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Michelangelo contentedly eats out of a Snickers bag as Donatello wraps his arm.

"There." Donatello sits back. "Any more wounds?"

April shrugs. "I got grazed by one of Tokka's spikes." She shows a tear in her shirt. "See?"

Donatello leans over. "Mm hmm. We should wash that. I'll be right back." He stands. "Raph? You hurt?"

"Nah."

"Spike?" Donatello turns. "You two are the worst for hiding injuries. Hurt at all?"

"No," Spike says, unwrapping the Twix bar. "Of course not."

"Leo? Casey? Irma?" Donatello turns to each. "Nothing?"

Casey rolls up a pant leg. "I dunno, Rahzar got me here."

Irma shrugs. "I mostly stayed out of the way. I'm sorry I wasn't more help."

Leonardo pats her shoulder. "You'll get it soon."

Irma smiles. "Thanks. And-" she leans over to her bag. "I brought The Nightmare Before Christmas." She stands. "This okay?"

"Go ahead!" Michelangelo encourages.

Splinter sighs. "I am glad you were not hurt. I am going to bed. I shall see you all in the morning."

**Well that was an eventful Halloween. Please let me know what you thought! Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Bye!**


	22. Chapter 22

"What are you doing in the kitchen?"

Spike glances up from her spot on the floor at Raphael. "I hate this movie."

"How come?" he asks.

She shrugs. "Scared me when I was real little. Not too crazy on bugs." She shakes her head. "Am I in your way?"

"There's bugs?" Raphael asks blankly. "Where?"

"Spoilers."

"No, seriously, where are the bugs in that movie?" Raphael crosses his arms.

Spike gestures. "The Oogie Boogie Man is made up of them. A squirming mass of them inside the sack."

Raphael shudders. "I _hate _bugs." He plunks down next to her. "I'm not going back in there either."

Spike hands him a bag of Twix bars. "Yeah. I usually watch the movie _Halloween _on Halloween but hey."

"Hm."

"We're good. I got friends, family and food. Three things I love." Spike rests her chin on her knees.

"You gotta be more careful," Raphael interrupts. He glances at her. "All these mutants and stuff."

"I appreciate the thought, but I can take care of myself," Spike assures him. He turns his head to look at her.

"One of these days, you might not be able to." He frowns. "You got a…." he motions towards his face.

"I got a what?" Spike brushes at the side of her face. "What? Chocolate? Blood? Eyelash?"

"Eyelash," Raphael says, pushing her fingers away. He brushes at her temple with thick fingers. "There."

"What's going on?" Leonardo asks.

Raphael starts. Spike falls over backward to keep Raphael from jabbing her eye. "Well, whatever it was you thought it was it wasn't," she assures him.

"Nothing," Raphael chimes in. "She had-"

"An eyelash-"

"On her face-"

"So he got rid of it," Spike finishes.

Leonardo raises an eye ridge. "Fine. Whatever. Are you aware that you're in the way of the refrigerator?"

Spike scoots sideways. "Better?"

Leonardo opens the refrigerator, grabbing a soda. "You guys just gonna sit out here alone?"

Raphael shrugs. "I dunno. Why do you care?"

"I'm just wondering!" Leonardo crosses his arms. "Making sure you're not up to something."

"To be honest, I'm tired and may just go home soon," Spike admits. "So I don't have any mischief in me."

"That's unusual," Raphael utters.

Spike punches his shoulder lightly. "Hey, I'm not mischievous, I'm trouble."

Leonardo sighs. "Well, you're not wrong." He turns. "I'm heading back in to watch the rest of this movie. You guys have fun sitting there." He walks back into the living room.

"We will," Spike calls after him. "I like sitting here."

Raphael chuckles and lets his head fall back against the refrigerator. "You're weird."

"So're you."

**Oogie Boogie. Halloween spooks. Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to hear what you think. Please, review! I'll see you all next chapter! **


	23. Chapter 23

_Her smile was a bit too wide, a bit too cheerful, considering the blood on the walls._

_Her own, or another's, Spike wasn't sure. But she knew she was grinning. And it seemed wrong. Very wrong._

_"__Are you alright?"_

_Spike turned to face Leonardo. It wasn't the Leonardo she knew. Smaller. Less covered. "Never been better. Why?"_

_He frowned. "You went crazy for a minute. I mean, __**Slash**__ beat it. You know what that says."_

_"__It says I'm tired of him bullying us," she responded. She sat heavily. "He's done a lot he hasn't answered for."_

_"__Raph forgives him," Leonardo said. "Maybe you should too."_

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Spike wakes up again, staring at the side of the dresser.

She sits up.

"Wow. You're not a light sleeper."

"Skye?" Spike asks. She leans forward in the dark.

"Nope."

Spike grabs a pen off the dresser and holds it up. "Who?"

"Really? You have to ask?" Karai flips on a lamp.

"How did you get in here?"

"Window." Karai crosses her arms. "What are you doing with that pen?"

"Preparing to stab you in the eye," Spike says, standing. "What are you doing here?"

"I have to ask you something." Karai doesn't look at her.

Spike points. "This better be good."

"I've tried to get in with you, to sort of befriend you," Karai begins.

"For an ulterior motive," Spike remarks.

"Yes. I knew I'd need your help." Karai frowns. "And your friends."

"Why?" Spike demands. "What does the evil Foot clan member want with the people trying to fight it?"

"Spike?" April opens the door. "Are you okay-" she gasps. "Karai!"

"I'm here to talk," Karai cuts her off.

"About what?" April asks suspiciously.

"The Foot is deteriorating. It's contaminated by the Kraang." Karai shakes her head. "That's not my decision. We're being attacked by a group called the Earth Protection Force."

"I know. We've seen them," April says.

"Well, they've started making mutants of their own. They're a problem." Karai crosses her arms. "I need some help."

"So you don't need help escaping the Foot?!" April asks incredulously. "Don't you want to leave? They're hurting innocents, in a quest for world domination! Every other person that has tried that has failed! Your group is corrupt!"

Karai doesn't speak.

"I've already tried," Spike tells April. "She doesn't listen. It's up to her."

"What?" April turns to her in surprise. "You've talked to her?"

"I've run into her a few times," Spike admits.

"You didn't tell me? I'm your best friend! Why didn't you?" April asks.

"I didn't think it was necessary."

Karai sighs. "Will you help me or not?"

April and Spike glance at each other. April sighs. "I guess. It's one less problem for us. But I warn you, if you betray us, we'll kill you."

"Yes," Spike says. "We will."

**Do you think this is a good idea? Please let me know in the reviews! Thanks so much for reading, I really appreciate it, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

"Leo is going to kill us," April remarks.

Karai laughs humorlessly. "Leo? Blue mask, right?"

"That's him."

"I don't think he'd kill you," Karai says. "That one's got honor. And guts." She points at a building across the street. "That's the building."

Spike crosses her arms. "Let's get this over with."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Karai yanks open the window and rolls through. Spike clambers after her, followed by April. The well lit room blinds them for a second before they adjust.

"Ah!" Agent Bishop turns. "New group, eh? Turtles too young to come?"

"What?" Karai asks in confusion.

Spike waves her hand. "Long story. And no, they're all back to normal."

"How?" Bishop demands. "How could you have reversed it?"

"You didn't count on one thing," April challenges.

"Oh? What's that?" Bishop sneers.

"Me!" Irma Langinstein declares, stepping through the window after them.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Irma?!" Spike turns. "How the heck did you get here?"

"Casey and I followed you!" Irma explains. "We thought you were in trouble!"

"This is just great," Karai mutters.

Spike throws her hands in the air. "So you're both here?"

Casey pops up from behind Irma. "Yep."

Spike presses the heel of her hand into her forehead. "Oh my word."

"We're here to help," Casey announces.

Bishop shakes his head and points at Irma. "She reversed it?"

"Yes, I did," Irma declares, stepping forward. "Why?"

"You must be an intelligent woman," Bishop muses. "We could use people like you."

"I like the group I'm in now," Irma informs him. "But thank you for the compliment."

"Get him!" April shouts.

Bishop moves back and hits a button on the wall confidently.

"What was that?" Karai demands.

"My latest success," Bishop says.

The side of the wall rips open, revealing a huge, mutated crocodile standing upright, wearing a metal collar. It glares down at the humans.

"Attack them," Bishop commands.

The crocodile lunges.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Irma dives out of the way as Karai lunges forward as well, aiming a punch at the crocodile's midsection. The reptile roars and swipes at Karai, knocking her down.

"Okay, we need a strategy!" April says. "Irma?"

"Uh….we can try right between his eyes?" Irma suggests.

"Leave it to Casey Jones!" Casey cries, ducking around them and swinging at the crocodile with the hockey stick. The crocodile catches it between his teeth and crushes it. "Uh oh." The crocodile knocks him aside as well.

April pulls out her metal fan nervously. "Uh…"

"Try to get in behind him," Spike commands. "Get his attention somehow."

"Looks like you're giving the orders now," Karai notes, standing back up.

"Maybe I am."

**Any guesses on how this is gonna turn out? Please let me know! I love getting reviews, they really help me. Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	25. Chapter 25

Irma slips between the crocodile's legs, grabbing onto his tail. The crocodile thrashes his tail, roaring as it turns to see what is going on. Spike hurls a knife that glances off his shoulder. The blade slices him, but not as deep as it should have.

"What?!" April turns. "How is that possible?"

"They've been perfecting the mutagen," Spike thinks aloud. "The turtles' cells regenerate faster than humans, and have much tougher skin. This guy is a little tougher." She draws her mace. "You okay, Irma?"

"Just dandy!" Irma yells, ducking a punch the reptile throws. "I'd love some help, though!"

Karai comes in high, kicking at the crocodile's knee. The creature glares down at her, snatching her up as if to crush her. His collar beeps.

April frowns at the collar and shakes her head. Spike smashes her mace onto the crocodile's fingers, and it lets go of Karai, swiping a huge hand at Spike. She dives out of the way, but not far enough. The crocodile's fist grazes her and knocks her to the ground. She rolls out of the way of the stomp that comes next. Casey stands back up and draws his baseball bat and charges. The crocodile bears down on him tossing him aside. Casey smashes his bat against the creature's arm to no avail.

The collar keeps beeping.

"That's it!" Irma shouts, stomping on the end of the crocodile's tail. "The collar! It's controlling him somehow! Agent Bishop must be giving him orders!"

"So what do we do?" April cries, slashing at the crocodile's arm with her fan.

"Try to take it off!"

"Can we destroy it?" Karai asks.

"It could kill him," Irma reasons. "I don't want to kill him, if possible."

Spike kicks up at the crocodile's stomach. "C'mon…"

Irma clambers up the crocodile's tail and locks her legs around his torso. She takes her dagger and works at the collar. "It's electronic! I need a passcode!"

"Can you hack it?" April asks.

Karai leaps up onto the crocodile's shoulders and joins Irma. She hands her a handheld device. "Try this." She climbs onto his head and slams her elbow onto the top of it. The crocodile stops and shakes his head.

"Hit him harder! Try to daze him!" April shouts.

Spike pulls out her Taser and tosses it to Karai. "Get him!"

Karai catches it, aims downward and fires. The crocodile shakes and drops to the ground.

"Okay, because of the mutagen he'll probably get up sooner than a normal person," Irma reasons. She applies the device Karai gave her to the collar and presses a button. The machine whirrs, and clicks as the collar falls off.

Irma climbs off holding it up. "We gotta take this back with us."

"Now what?" Karai asks, climbing off the unconscious reptile.

"Now we wait," Spike says.

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review to let me know what you thought, I really appreciate it. See you in the next chapter!**


	26. Chapter 26

Karai shifts her weight. "I hate this."

"Join the club. What _are _we doing?" Casey asks impatiently.

"Waiting. Do you think it'll be any calmer when it wakes up?" April asks.

"Possibly. It could've been a human, you know," Spike says.

Irma gapes at her. "They can mutate humans into reptiles?"

"Bebop and Rocksteady were humans," Spike says softly. "The mutagen can do incredible things."

Karai frowns and looks down as April gasps. "That's horrible."

Spike nods. "Yeah. I can't imagine what that'd be like."

Irma shudders.

"How is that possible?" Casey asks. Irma shakes her head.

"Don't know."

Karai stands up. "I think it's waking up."

Indeed it was. The crocodile stirs and shakes his head, sitting up.

He opens his eyes and fixes them on the group.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

The crocodile squints at them. "Who are you?" he asks in a gravelly voice. He raises a massive fist in warning.

"Friends," Irma assures him, standing. "I'm Irma. This is April, Spike, Casey, and Karai."

The crocodile feels his neck and starts in surprise. "You removed my restraining device."

"Yeah. You were being controlled," April says.

"What's Bishop's plan?" Karai demands.

Spike puts a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down." She turns to the crocodile. "You got a name, sir?"

The crocodile shakes his head. Irma frowns and taps her chin. She moves to a computer and takes the device Karai gave her and plugs it in, tapping at keys. "Project Leatherhead." She glances up. "I guess that's it."

"Alright, Mr. Leatherhead," Spike begins. "What's going on?"

"I was a crocodile," Leatherhead says. He touches his head. "A normal one. Men took me. Injected me with something." He gestures at himself. "I grew."

"Evidently," April muses. "The collar controlled you so the Earth Protection Force could give you orders, to kill us or anyone else they wanted."

Leatherhead nods. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"No permanent damage sustained to any of us," Karai says.

"Yeah. You're a really good fighter though," Casey adds.

Leatherhead bows his head. "I am an abomination now."

"No, you're not!" April argues. "We know other mutants like you. Maybe you could help us, and them, against those who use the mutagen, what they used to turn you into this."

"I would do anything to stop it," Leatherhead says.

The humans glance at each other.

"I vote we take him back to the lair," April says.

"Me too," Irma agrees.

Spike sighs. "Splinter and Leo are going to kill us."

**Probably.**

**Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, I really appreciate it, and constructive criticism is welcome! Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter. Bye! **


	27. Chapter 27

"Have you lost your _mind?_" Leonardo whispers.

Spike shakes her head. "No sir."

"That was a stupid idea."

"Yes sir."

"Knock it off." Leonardo rubs his temples. "Not only did you go with one of our enemies to track down another enemy, you brought his pet back."

"I didn't bring him to the lair," Spike protests. "Just next rooftop over." She gestures at the next building, where the humans stand on one side and the other three turtles stand on the other. "Plus, he's not a pet. He was a captive and a subject."

Leonardo shakes his head. "Splinter already told me to tell you that that was not a wise idea."

"I was going with what my gut said," Spike explains. "And we can learn from Leatherhead."

"I don't deny that. But it was a dangerous idea and you could have gotten seriously hurt, or killed," Leonardo says.

Spike nods. "I thought it might have been worth the risk."

Leonardo sighs. "Don't pull a stunt like that again."

"I won't." Spike's mouth quirks slightly. "Captain."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Michelangelo pulls Spike into a hug. "You gotta be more careful, man."

"Sorry, Mikey." She pats his shell as Michelangelo pulls back. Donatello grabs her arm and turns her to face him, goggles down.

"No injuries?" he asks.

"Nope. I'm shipshape." She pats his arm. "Did you check the others?"

"Yeah. Leo took you straight aside and I didn't get the chance," Donatello explains.

"He asked if I was okay," Spike points out.

"Okay."

"Did you talk to Leatherhead yet?" Spike inquires.

"Not yet. Leo's going first." He pats her shoulder. "Glad you're okay."

"Yeah." Spike turns towards the other humans and starts walking. Raphael thrusts an arm in her way.

"Hang on a sec."

She turns. "Can I help you?"

"Jus' makin' sure you're alright." He chews on his toothpick. "You guys had us worried."

"We had it under control."

"What about Karai?" He nods towards her. "What're you doin' with her?"

"She asked for help," Spike explains.

"And we always go to the aid of the bad guys," he says sarcastically.

"No. But I get the feeling she isn't happy where she is," she says quietly. "I'm not giving her any information about us. I'm not stupid." She raps on her head with her knuckles. "I got something up here."

"I know."

"Then don't worry about me." She grins reassuringly. "I can take care of myself." She turns as Leonardo strides by. "C'mon."

They follow Leonardo as he walks towards Leatherhead.

**Well that happened.**

**Thanks so much for reading, and please let me know what you think in a review, it really helps! I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	28. Chapter 28

"Leatherhead?" Leonardo says.

The big crocodile nods. "That is my name."

"I'm told you were a pawn of Agent Bishop," Leonardo continues.

Leatherhead nods again.

"You will forgive us for not trusting you immediately," Leonardo says.

Leatherhead chuckles. "Of course. I'd do the same in your place."

"We'd just like to hear your story again," Leonardo explains.

Leatherhead sits. "I was a simple crocodile in human captivity. Agent Bishop took me, and injected me with what you call mutagen. I grew rapidly in a matter of hours. I have higher intelligence, I can speak. I'm much stronger than normal. They put a collar on me, controlled my actions. I was told to destroy these people." He gestures at the humans. "They broke the collar's control and disposed of it. I am grateful."

"No problem," April assures him. "We were happy to help."

He nods. "And they said you fought against those who use this mutagen."

"Well, we do," Donatello says. "Where do you stand on this issue?"

"I am willing to fight these people," Leatherhead says solemnly.

Leonardo nods. "Well, Leatherhead, you can certainly help. We'll see if we can find you someplace in the sewers to hide."

Leatherhead bows his head. "Thank you, fellow reptiles."

"We wouldn't have been able to help him if it hadn't been for Karai," Irma remarks. "She gave me something to use that hacked the system faster than I could have."

Karai shakes her head. "I didn't want to be squashed." She glances around the group. "I'll see you all next game." She jumps off the roof. Leonardo glances over the edge of the building.

"What is her game?" he wonders quietly.

"We'll find out," Spike assures him.

"Why does she help us?" Michelangelo asks. "If she's with the Foot, why does she bother?"

"I think she doesn't want to be there as much anymore," Spike says quietly. "It's just a thought."

Leonardo shakes his head. "Come on, Leatherhead. Let's see if you can fit inside the sewers."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

They settled Leatherhead a few blocks down from where the turtles and Splinter lived, and the humans went topside to head back to their homes.

"It's been quite an evening," Irma says cheerfully, exhaling a puff of air.

"It sure has," April admits.

Casey shakes his head. "A mutant crocodile added to the group, then."

"I don't mind. He's an ally," Spike points out. "And it doesn't matter who the ally is as long as we can trust them."

"What does that make Karai?" Casey asks.

"I wish I knew."

**What do y'all think about this recent turn of events? Please let me know in a review, I really appreciate it! Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	29. Chapter 29

_She felt suddenly that the center of this man's attention was a very bad place to be._

_He was dressed oddly, a long black robe with a hood concealing his face, but she could tell by the hands that it was a man._

_He pointed at her and spoke in a different language before drawing his hand back. In English, he spoke._

_"__The curse I lay on you shall be your past, repeating itself. The worst event of your history."_

_Spike drew back, recoiling from the man. "What?"_

_"__Your family. Their death haunts you even now. Your family makes you strong, does it? We'll see how you manage without even your surrogate brothers."_

_He disappeared. Spike turned. "No. No, you can't do that. Curses aren't real!"_

_Even as she spoke, images filled her mind. Images that she'd imagined before. April, Irma, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, Splinter, even Casey. Dead. Wounded._

_And she was helpless._

_Helpless._

_Just like she had been fifteen years ago._

Spike rolls off of the bed onto the floor with a quiet cry. She remains on the floor, eyes squeezed shut. "No," she whispers to herself. "No, no no."

April opens the door. "Spike? You okay?"

Spike shakes herself and sits up. "Mm hmm."

April kneels next to her. "What're you doing on the floor?"

She shakes her head. "Fell off."

April looks her over. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Her phone goes off. Spike grabs it. "Hello?"

"It's Donatello. We have a situation."

"We'll be right over."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Spike wasn't sure how this happened. A simple mission, and here she and April sit in captivity, and who knew about the turtles?

April pats her knee. "You'll be fine."

Stockman stands outside the cell they're held in. "You know the rules. We have MOUSERS set up recording your every move. When you get into the arena, they study your tactics. Your moves. Your every strategy will become known to us."

April glares at him. "Sure. Us against your minions. That'll go great."

"Oh no, my dear," Stockman laughs. "You against your friends."

Spike shoots to her feet. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You against the turtles. One at a time, of course. But so we can see each member of your group and their skill sets. The loser dies. The winner continues to the next opponent," Stockman explains.

"Like a sick TV show," April breathes.

Stockman shrugs. "Sanchez, my dear, you're first."

She glares up at him. "I'll die before I fight one of them."

"Sure. But would you let your friend die?" Stockman raises his eyebrow. "You fight them, or April dies."

The 'situation' Donatello had talked about was an ambush. Rahzar. Tokka. Bebop. Rocksteady. Slash.

They had been grabbed and captured, and led to this lair. And now the plan was for them to demonstrate their abilities by fighting each other, and then die.

_We gotta escape._

_I won't let this happen._

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	30. Chapter 30

Stockman turns. "We begin now."

Bebop opens the cell door, grabbing Spike's arm. He turns to April. "She don't fight, you die. Remember that." He grins. "Time for a priority check."

April glares at him wordlessly as Bebop drags Spike down the hallway and into what looks like a modern arena.

Six foot metal walls, and above those, glass. Behind the glass, Baxter Stockman sits at a control panel that Spike assumes gives messages to his minions whether or not to kill April.

She glances around. _Four MOUSERS, minimum, _she observes.

As she is shoved into the center of the ring, the door on the other side opens, and Rocksteady shoves Donatello inside.

Bebop and Rocksteady scurry back inside and close the doors.

"Well? Have at it!"

Donatello steps forward and draws his bo staff tentatively. Spike takes out her mace. They circle each other.

"What do we do?" she hisses.

"Ummm, still thinking," he whispers. "They got Leo, Raph and Mikey under threat of death if I don't fight you and-"

"And if you really tried, you'd kill me."

He nods. "So….Fake fight for now."

"Ok. Bad moves. They're recording and studying us."

"Right." He swings his staff out towards her knees. She leaps over it and slips behind him.

He spins to face her. "MOUSERS?"

"Can we take them out?"

"I bet. I'm going to push you," he murmurs. He shoves her backward into the corner of the room, bounding after her. "Ready?"

"Go."

He shoves Spike backward, and she lands on the MOUSER, hard. She rolls to the side while his bo-staff slams down on it.

"I have plenty where those came from!" Stockman calls. "You're not accomplishing anything!"

Spike goes in for a tackle. "Maybe we should go for Stockman."

He dodges, grabbing her arm. "Hm. What do we know about him?"

"He's a genius," Spike admits.

Donatello nods. "Mm hmm." He pushes her back with his staff. "What else?"

"Uhhh…."

He flips over her and lands on a MOUSER. "What does he value?"

"Probably money."

"Probably." He swings her into the wall as lightly as possible.

"Ouch," Spike mutters into the metal. He swings her out again and points up.

"All this protection," he says.

"His life. He values his life," Spike realizes. "He's a coward!"

"Get to Stockman, get him to release the others and we're in business." He swings his staff at her.

She doesn't notice and gets it in the gut. "Yow!"

"That one's on you."

**Thirtieth chapter! Thanks so much for reading, please leave a review to let me know what you thought, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	31. Chapter 31

"Problem is," Donatello sweeps his leg out, tripping Spike. "How to get up there."

"It's glass. Glass breaks." She deflects a swipe of the bo staff with her mace. "You're tall. Gimme a boost."

He nods. "Go."

She charges at him and jumps. He forms his hands into a stirrup and pushes her upward. Spike sails up, slamming at the glass panel with her mace. Donatello stands under her, holding her up. She slams through the glass and pulls herself through, tackling a startled Stockman.

"Hey!"

She plants her knee in her chest, raising her mace as Donatello clambers through. "Let them go, or you're gonna have a real big mess."

Stockman flinches. "Fine! Fine! But you'll regret it. I have guards."

"We'll deal with guards," Donatello declares. "Release them now." He nods. "Let him up, Spike."

She stands, glaring daggers at the scientist. Stockman presses a button and steps back. "There. Unlocked."

Spike grabs his arm. "I think we need some insurance. You're comin' with me, brainy boy."

"What?! I unlocked the cages! Let me go!"

Spike pushes him through the door at the end of the control room. "Donnie, go check on your brothers. I'll go get April."

"Alright." Donatello heads out the door on the other side.

Spike tightens her grip. "C'mon." She drags him off.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Stockman! Why did you open the doors? I had to-" Xever stops when he notices who the flustered scientist is with. "Well, hello again." He tightens his grip on April's arm. "You look well."

"Let. Her. Go," Spike growls.

"She means it," Stockman whimpers. "If you don't, she'll kill me."

Xever shrugs. "Eh. The Foot's loss, not mine."

"I have security everywhere," Stockman squeaks. "If I get killed, Higher Up will know it's your fault. I'm valuable!"

Xever raises an eyebrow and drags April in front of him.

"You don't want to get on the wrong side of the Boss," Stockman says.

Spike glares at Xever. "Give me April, and I'll give you this coward." She gives Stockman a shake.

He sighs and pushes April forward and reaches for Stockman. Spike shoves the scientist forward and grabs April's arm. "C'mon, April, we gotta find the boys."

April gulps and nods. "Okay." She takes a deep breath and straightens. "Let's go find them."

Spike turns and points at Xever. "And if you follow us, I'll flatten you, got it?"

He shrugs. "No promises."

She glares.

And off they run.

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, I really appreciate hearing from you! I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32

"DONNIE!" Spike bellows as they round a corner. "DONNIE!"

Donatello shoves back at Slash and turns. "Little busy!"

April digs out her metal fan and joins him.

"Well, well well….Look what we have here," Rocksteady growls, cracking his knuckles as he approaches Spike. "Dead meat."

"What, did you see a mirror?" she replies dryly. She draws the bladed mace strapped to her back.

"Got a bigger stick, then. That's just fine." He draws his machine gun. "G'night."

Spike swings the mace wide, grazing his arm as the rhino lumbers out of the way. She frowns and tries again. "Stay still, why don't you!"

He laughs and backs up, bringing the machine gun up.

"Oh, no you don't!" Leonardo kicks him out of the way.

"Get his gun!" Donatello howls.

Leonardo slashes Rocksteady's arm, causing the rhino to holler and drop the gun, pressing a hand to the blood leaking from his arm.

Michelangelo shoves Bebop into Rocksteady, causing the rhino to back up farther.

"CEASE!" a voice shouts.

They turn. Eric Sacks stands on a bridge above them, a gun pressed to Irma Langinstein's temple. Irma turns her head from side to side with wide eyes. "Guys?"

"Down here," April calls. "Irma?"

"I can't see," Irma explains in a panicked voice.

"Drop your weapons," Sacks commands.

"Not again," Raphael utters.

"In your dreams, murderer!"

A metal fan smacks the hand holding the gun. Sacks falls back slightly, dropping the gun. The fan soars back to April, who grabs it.

Leonardo leaps onto the bridge, grabbing hold of Irma. "It's me," he assures her. Irma nods. Leonardo kicks the gun off the bridge and turns to Sacks. "We'll be leaving now." He aims his grappling hook at a window and fires, swinging out. The others follow, leaving Sacks and his mutants behind.

"NO! Don't let them escape!"

It's too late.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"And you can't see a thing?" Splinter asks. Irma shakes her head.

"Nothing."

"How did this happen?" Casey asks, leaning in. "Were you captured?"

"Well yes, and they sprayed something in my eyes," Irma says. "And then I couldn't see. That was an hour ago."

"There's a good chance it might wear off," Donatello remarks. "But it might not be for twenty-four hours."

Irma groans. "I'll have to take the day off work."

April nods, realizes Irma can't see her, and pats her friend's hand. "Don't worry. We'll have you back to normal in no time."

"She can stay down here tomorrow," Michelangelo suggests. He glances between Leonardo and Splinter. "Right?"

Raphael opens his mouth. "I-"

"I'm sure we can allow it," Splinter says. "It's the least we can do for a friend." He nods. "Irma, is that alright?"

Irma nods. "It'd be great. I could use some help finding my way around."

Michelangelo pats her shoulder. "We'll guide you. Don't worry."

"I'll try not to," Irma laughs nervously.

**Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review! I really appreciate it. I'll see you all in the next chapter.**


	33. Chapter 33

At three o'clock the next day, April and Spike get off of work and head home.

About halfway there, April stops. "I think we should head to the lair."

Spike nods. "Think Irma's gone nuts yet?"

"Irma's got more patience than that," April points out, chuckling.

"Yeah, but being blind and havin' Mikey as a guide? That might drive me crazy," Spike remarks.

"You just might be halfway there already," April jokes. "Come on."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Irma!" April calls as she steps into the lair.

Irma looks up from her spot on the couch, turning her head from side to side as she searches for the source of the sound. "April? Is that you?"

"Sure is, and I'm here with her," Spike says. "How've you been?"

Irma shakes her head. "Fine. I mean, being blind is no walk in the park, but it hasn't been too bad. Scary sometimes, obviously." She passes her hand in front of her face. "Unnerving. But not too bad. Mikey sits and reads to me."

"He _does?_" April asks in surprise.

"Sure. Comic books, which means he has to describe what's going on." Irma smiles. "He's cheerful company."

"He's somethin'," Spike admits.

Michelangelo bounds out with another comic book. "Irma, you'll like this one-April! Spike! Hi!"

"Hi!" April greets.

"Hey," Spike waves. "Just checkin' in here." She pats Irma's shoulder.

"The good news is I can see shadows," Irma says. "Donnie thinks my eyesight will return very soon." She sighs. "Which will be a huge relief."

Donatello strides out of his lab. "Indeed. Not that we don't enjoy your company," he adds hastily. "I mean it'll be a huge relief for you."

Irma chuckles. "I knew what you meant."

April grins and waves. "Hi, Donnie."

He smiles a little and waves. "Hi, April."

"And I'm wallpaper," Spike announces.

"Hey, Wallpaper, I'm Raphael," said turtle remarks dryly from behind her.

She crosses her arms without turning. "Really? You're making Dad jokes?"

"I'm not your dad."

"No, that'd be weird." She makes a face. "But I figured if anyone had that sense of humor, it'd be either Splinter or Leo."

Raphael shrugs. "Leo doesn't have much of a sense of humor at all."

"That's not true," the leader protests from the other end of the room.

Michelangelo grins up at him from the couch. "Well, sure you have a sense of humor. It's just buried deep under all that honor."

"Very funny."

Leonardo sighs.

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	34. Chapter 34

Irma sits on the couch, swinging her legs gently. "So much for ninja training today, huh?"

"It's not your fault," April says. "Not like you wanted to be blind for a day."

Irma nods. "I only walked in place a little bit. I was afraid of tripping over something or bumping into stuff."

"Any exercise is better than no exercise, that's my motto," Spike declares. "Don't feel bad."

Irma nods and squints. "I think I'm starting to see colors."

"Really?" Michelangelo pulls off his mask and dangles it in front of her. "What color is this?"

Irma frowns. "Orange?"

Michelangelo whoops. "Yep!"

Irma grins. "Fantastic."

"Absolutely," Leonardo agrees.

"I'll be out of your hair in no time," Irma says. She stops. "Or…..uh…..Out of your house."

Donatello chuckles. "You're not too much trouble."

"Yeah, that's me," Spike points out.

"I'm not arguing," Raphael remarks.

"Well there's a sudden change," Spike replies. "You usually argue. You're not supposed to _agree,_" Spike explains. "You're supposed to say I'm great. 'Cept you don't do that. No. You're more like…." She digs through her backpack and retrieves a box of toothpicks, and proceeds to stick one in her mouth. Further digging reveals a set of sunglasses, which she perches on top of her head. She settles back and crosses her arms. "More like this." She pitches her voice deeper. "She's okay, I guess."

Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo burst into laughter as Raphael crosses his arms.

"That's not even close," he protests.

"It kinda is," Donatello snorts.

"It's _exactly _right," Michelangelo giggles.

Raphael rolls his eyes. "Not really. Do you carry those things for emergency false impressions of me?"

Spike pulls the sunglasses off. "Yeah." She takes the toothpick out. "I do. I also got these…" She pulls out a pair of comically oversized glasses and slides them on. "In case of Donnie impressions."

Raphael laughs. "Oh really?"

Donatello laughs harder, protesting through it. "Hey, are you suggesting I'm a nerd?"

Spike shrugs. "If the glasses fit….."

"Hey!"

"What about me?" Michelangelo asks. "Got anything for me?"

Spike picks the sunglasses back up, clips them to the front of her shirt, and turns her voice lazy. "Kinda, bro."

Michelangelo taps his chin. "Needs something." He takes off one of the necklaces around his neck and drapes it around hers. "There you go."

"You have anything for Leo?" Donatello asks.

"Oh, yeah. Took me forever, but I got somethin'." Spike hands Michelangelo's necklace back and puts the sunglasses down. "Here." She pulls out a Captain America mask and tugs it on and looks seriously ahead. "Honor."

"I don't know whether to be insulted or not," Leonardo remarks.

April sighs. "She should have been a comedian, right?"

"Pfft. No," Spike says, putting her props away. "It's just a gag among friends."

Irma shakes her head. "I _really _wish I could see this."

**Bit of a break in seriousness, just threw in a gag chapter. Anyway, thanks so much for reading, please leave a review and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	35. Chapter 35

_"__I never thought I'd go through with it."_

_The thought was voiced by her to an empty room. A room Spike had seen before. The Foot clan's headquarters._

_"__Until I heard Karai." She sighed. "Poor, foolish woman."_

_She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass windows and started at what she saw._

_It was her face, yes, and it was different.  
>But not unfamiliar. She'd seen this face before, in the alternate universe Skye had shown her.<em>

_She was in the Foot._

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"I can see!"

The words wake Spike up and she shakes herself. "What?"

Irma jolts up off the couch with a wide grin. "I can see again!"

April grins as she stands. "That's great!" She hugs her friend.

"Absolutely," Spike proclaims, slapping Irma's back.

Irma rubs her shoulder. "Ouch."

"Sorry."

Michelangelo wraps his arms around Irma and lifts her up off the ground with a grin. "There! All fixed." He sets her down.

"This is very good news," Splinter agrees. "I am glad."

"Yeah, so I can get back to my job and my apartment," Irma sighs in relief. "Who knew I'd miss it?"

Donatello shrugs. "What do you do?"

"I'm an intern," Irma informs him. "Nothing as exciting as this."

"Sometimes exciting isn't much fun," Leonardo reminds her.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"It coulda been worse," Spike remarks back in the apartment "You coulda been shrunk." She holds her fingers apart. "Pocket sized. You coulda gotten squashed."

"Thanks," Irma says sarcastically. "I'm so glad you're here to reassure me."

She shrugs.

"That's her job," April says. "But that would have been worse."

Irma nods. "I have a question."

"Go ahead," April encourages.

"How do you think relationships with the guys would work?" she asks. "Y'know, the…" She lowers her voice. "Turtles?"

April starts in surprise. "What?"

"I dunno, I was just thinking. I mean, Mikey's real nice, don't you think?"

The ill-fated Spike was unfortunately taking a swig of water at this moment. The water immediately took the wrong path.

"Spike, you okay?" April cries as her friend dissolves into a coughing fit.

She waves her arm as she hacks the water up. "I'm fine," she chokes.

Irma grins sheepishly. "Sorry. Anyway, I was just wondering if it would be a problem. See, I figure, they're human enough that it'd be ok. Like when aliens marry humans in stories."

"Marriage?!" Spike fairly shrieks the word.

Irma waves her arm. "I'm not suggesting it."

"Better not," Spike mutters.

"I'm just asking."

April nods. "I don't think it's that big of a problem."

Irma smiles. "Hm."

Spike scratches her head. "Huh. How about we change the subject?" She holds up _The Fog._ "Eh? Anyone up for it?" April and Irma groan. "What?"

**Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it really means a lot. I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	36. Chapter 36

As the weeks passed, time continued, as time often does, and soon the group finds themselves in November, with Thanksgiving approaching.

This being the turtles' first real Thanksgiving, April is determined to go all out.

"OK fine, you want to make them a dinner," Spike begins. "But do you know how much those guys eat? Especially all together? I've seen Michelangelo eat three pizzas himself."

Irma nods. "Well we'd have to make a lot, obviously."

"It wouldn't be that hard. I have a whole plan all thought out," April explains. "Splinter's in on it, and he thinks it'd be great. We borrow the Assault Van the night before, transport the food, store it, sleep over, and start cooking Thursday morning."

"We can make it a camp in!" Irma exclaims.

"We're doing it with or without your approval," April informs Spike. "We were just wondering if you want to help."

"April, you know I burn water."

"Fine. Help transport then."

"Deal. But if this is a camp in, no asking weird questions. Half the time people wind up askin' stuff like 'what was your first date like'," Spike warns.

April shrugs. "Fine. Besides, we know you never had one."

"That's right."

"If it helps, I haven't either," Irma remarks.

"Do we tell 'em?" Spike inquires.

"Probably." April reaches for her phone and dials. "Hi Donnie. Yeah. I'm fine, how about you?" She listens for a minute. "Great! Look, we're thinking about having Thanksgiving down in the lair. Yeah, Splinter's okay with it. We're bringing the food. We're sure. Can we borrow the van on Wednesday though? Yeah we're transporting food. I know. Thinking about spending the night if it's okay. Okay? Fantastic. See ya." She hangs up. "Donnie says he and Leo think it sounds great."

"Donnie would think it'd sound great if she told him to stand on his head for a day," Irma murmurs to Spike.

Spike snorts.

April raises her eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing," Irma says innocently. "Why do you ask?"

April gives them a suspicious look. "You kids be on your best behavior."

"Yes, Mom," Irma says. She gasps. "My parents don't know about the guys."

"And?"

"Should they?"

April shrugs. "Mom doesn't know."

"But…" Irma buries her head in her hands. "My family, y'know."

"Do they want you home?" Spike asks.

"Probably." Irma sighs. "Just tell the boys I couldn't make it."

"Wait, we could have you there the day before," April points out. "A pre-Thanksgiving celebration."

Irma thinks. "I could swing that. My folks live close."

"Happy Thanksgiving to us," Spike proclaims.

**Thanks so much for reading everyone! I know it's weird to write about November in March, but we got to get there sometime. Please leave a review to let me know what you think, I really enjoy hearing from you guys! I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	37. Chapter 37

Irma settles herself in the back of the turtle van amid tons of food. "Are you sure we'll need this much?"

"Positive." Spike starts the van as April sits down in the passenger's seat. "We're all big eaters."

April nods. "That's the truth."

"Is Jones joining us?" Spike asks as she moves the huge van onto the road.

"Yeah. But he's gotta be gone Thanksgiving day, his sister and dad want him home," April says.

Spike nods. "Mm hmm."

Irma glances around the van. "Why did they cover the interior in this stuff?"

"Because they're still guys, and guys do dumb things," Spike explains wisely. "Teenage guys, especially."

"They're not teenagers anymore," April reminds her. "They're adults. Remember?"

Spike shakes her head. "Ah. Can't get used to this gettin' older stuff."

"Twenty three," Irma sings from the back.

Spike rolls her eyes. "Yeah. I guess I am. You just wait till it happens to you."

"There are worse ages to be," April reminds her.

"Good point."

Irma glances around. "What's this?"

"Don't touch anything."

Irma turns the radio on, filling the interior of the van with loud music.

Spike suddenly chuckles. "Hey, April, remember when Mikey blew up Vern's car?"

April laughs. "Yep."

"Then turned on the music and sang to you," Spike continues as another wave of laughter takes her.

April nods. "Seems forever ago."

"It was only….eight months," Spike counts. "Woah." She turns the corner. "We're gettin' old."

"Speak for yourself," Irma shouts over the music.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"We come bearing food," Spike calls, lifting the manhole cover. Leonardo looks up at her from the bottom.

"We gathered."

Spike leans down and deposits an armful of bagged vegetables on him. "Stick these in the freezer, would you?"

He nods and heads off.

Raphael steps into his place.

"Here." Spike passes off the meat. "Turkey carrying the turkey."

"You're hysterical," he utters.

"I am," she agrees. "Don't drop 'em. If I wind up with a meatless supper, I'll have you to blame."

"Spike, stop sassing Raph and get these potatoes," April says.

Spike turns around and grabs the potatoes.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Aprils surveys the inside of the fridge. "Yep. We're all set for your first real Thanksgiving."

Michelangelo grins. "Can't wait."

"I'm plannin' on seein' the game tomorrow," Raphael remarks. "I'm gonna need the TV."

"For some reason I'm not surprised," Spike comments. "I had a feeling you were a football guy."

He shrugs.

"You'd be great at it too," she continues. "Mow everyone over. But nah, football's not for me. I like basketball. That's my sport."

Donatello nods. "I've seen a little. It looks like fun."

"It is." She glances up at him. "I bet you'd be good at it."

"Really?"

"Definitely. I got an idea," Spike declares. "There's an abandoned youth center in our neighborhood, no one heads in there anymore. I've checked the place out, it's sound and better yet, it's got a court. I'll teach ya how to play."

Donatello cocks his head. "Well, thanks."

"No problem. I need someone to play with anyway."

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review, I really love hearing from you guys. I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	38. Chapter 38

Spike has given up reading, as the motion is starting to make the words wobbly. She tosses the book onto the couch and adjusts her position on Raphael's shell. "Are you goin' for the world record or somethin'?"

"No." He goes down for another pushup.

"When you asked me if I wanted to help with resistance training, I was not aware that meant sitting up here while you do one thousand pushups," she remarks, rolling carefully onto her side.

He huffs.

"I can hear your eyes rolling," she warns.

"Is that your super power?" Michelangelo asks from the couch. "Hearing our eyes roll?"

"Call it a gift."

"Call what a gift?" Casey enters the lair with a backpack.

"Nothin'." Spike faces the ceiling again.

April looks up. "Casey! Glad you could make it."

"No problem. My folks are expecting me for dinner tomorrow, though, so I won't be here then." He sets his bag down and spreads his arms. "Thanksgiving hug?"

April laughs and complies. She pulls back and bustles back into the kitchen. "How is your family then?"

Casey shrugs. "Eh. You know. Same as ever. No idea about all this." He waves his hand.

"Arnold Bernid Jones!" Irma shouts from the lab. "Is that you?"

Silence falls.

"I got something to show you I think you'd like," she continues, entering the room. She adjusts her glasses.

"Is that your full name?" Michelangelo asks.

Casey glares at Irma. "Yes," he growls.

Michelangelo cocks his head. "Why'd you change it?"

"Why do _you_ think?" Casey snaps. "It sounds dumb. Spike changed her name, didn't she? I don't think anyone even knows what her real name is."

Spike frowns. "Hey."

"It's Sarah," Donatello says firmly. "It wasn't a secret."

Casey sighs. "What do ya got for me, Irma?"

"How about….get this….." Irma holds up a schematic. "High tech hockey stick!"

"What?"

"I figured it'd be cool if we gave you something better than a hockey stick," Irma explains. "Because…you know….it's a hockey stick."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Irma rolls her eyes. "Well, for serious fighting, yes."

"Well…..Donatello's got a stick," Casey points out. "You're not upgrading _that_."

"It's a metal bo staff, a weapon highly trained ninja use," Donatello announces. "It can be turned into a very dangerous weapon in the right hands, three fingered or not."

"Anything can be dangerous if you know how to use it," Splinter agrees.

Raphael finishes. "Ride's over. Get off."

Spike rolls off him and lands sprawled on the floor. "The picture of grace," she declares.

"Picture of somethin', that's for sure."

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Please, leave a review to let me know what you think, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	39. Chapter 39

"Okay, guys, this is the first holiday we've got with the whole gang together, everyone line up by the couch for a picture," April declares, brandishing her camera.

Michelangelo bounds over. "Sure!"

"Oh no," Spike groans.

"How do we line up?" Irma asks. "Age? Height?"

"Okay," April points. "Irma, then me, then Mikey, then Spike, Leo, Casey, Raph, and Donnie. Splinter, can you stand in the front?"

"She's got her ancient camera," Irma says in a loud whisper.

April frowns. "It still works."

"So do VCRs," Casey points out.

"VCRs were the stuff," Spike remarks. "Can't believe they've been replaced."

Michelangelo scoots beside her. "Should we get Leatherhead?"

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

The end result of the attempt was twenty photos of the group, Splinter in front, Leatherhead behind.

"We wouldn't have wound up with so many if you'd all stay still. Leo and Splinter were the only ones that _stayed put_." April remarks. "And Donnie's too tall," she adds, laughing. "I had to back the camera to get everybody in it."

Donatello shrugs. "Sorry."

"You can't help how tall you grew," Irma says. "Why, I'm only five feet and four inches tall. I was the shortest kid in every class I was in."

Splinter smiles. "Michelangelo has always been the smallest here."

"Two of a kind," Michelangelo declares.

Spike stands. "Shoot, I just realized we forgot something."

"What?" Irma asks. "We have all the food."

"Yeah, we're missing our sleeping gear." She heads for the exit. "Be back in half an hour. If you guys can handle my absence for that long."

"Quick, barricade the doors as soon as she leaves," April jokes.

"Ha ha."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

And it was with a bag full of sleeping gear that Spike clambered back over another rooftop. All of a sudden, she stops in surprise at the sight of the woman on the edge of the building. "Skye?"

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Skye says cheerfully. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"And to you, I suppose." Spike frowns. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. A quick warning."

"Oh, what this time?" Spike asks wearily.

"I cannot give you exacts. Simply be careful. Your strength and character may be tested, and you'll decide soon enough where you belong, and how much you care for the team."

"I would give my _life_ for it," Spike utters. "I've said as much before."

"Others might not believe you. Some who care about your wellbeing will try to stop you from being involved. You could hurt yourself, you know."

Spike touches the scars across her face. "I know."

"Go ahead and have your dinner, but don't forget." Skye steps through a portal and disappears.

**Thanks so much for reading! Please, let me know what you think in a review, it really means a lot. I'll see y'all in the next chapter!**


	40. Chapter 40

_"__I SHALL BE HEARD!" Spike bellowed to the sour looking red masked turtle. "You got it? I don't care what Leo said to you, you can't just go off and ride your motorcycle and pout."_

_"__I wasn't pouting," he argued, setting his helmet aside. "I needed to blow off some steam."_

_"__You're starting to worry us," she said. "Next thing you know you'll be coming home with tattoos and piercings. Good grief. You and Leo fight like cats and dogs."_

_"__He keeps giving me orders."_

_"__He's the leader, genius. And he's got twice the common sense in your thick head."_

_"__Hey!"_

_She sighed. "Come on, Raph. Come home. We…I miss you."_

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Spike sits up and glances around the dark living room. She squints at the clock, which reads a dreaded 1:00 AM.

She groans quietly and puts her head on her knees.

Something creaks. Her head jerks up and she glances back and forth. Nothing.

She senses someone in the room and turns, staring at the shadow at the entrance of the room. She cocks her head.

"Raph?" she asks in a quiet voice.

The shape stops moving. "Yeah. What're you doin' up?"

"Can't sleep. You?"

"Same thing. Go on back to sleep."

"I'd rather not." She thinks back over the collection of odd dreams and nightmares.

"You're gonna be dead tired in the morning."

"And you're going to be what, fresh as a daisy?"

He sighs heavily. "You go out of your way to give me a hard time, you know that?"

"Someone's gotta. What're you doin'?"

"Headin' to the dojo."

"Want company?"

Silence. "I don't think so."

Spike shrugs. "Your loss."

"Yeah." He disappears into the dojo.

Spike settles back down. _I hate camping._

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Happy Turkey Day!" Michelangelo shouts.

Spike sits up again feeling like she got a total of five minutes sleep. "Mikey. It's before ten o'clock in the morning still. Don't yell."

April sits up and shakes her hair out of her eyes. "Good morning."

"If it is a good morning. Which I doubt." Spike rubs her eyes. "Ugh."

Lily pads into the room and curls up in April's lap. April absently strokes the cat. "Gotta get cooking, Spike."

"Don't set the kitchen on fire," Leonardo warns lightly.

"There goes all my fun," Spike complains.

Leonardo raises an eye ridge. "You think you're funny don't you?"

"Absolutely." She stands and starts rolling up her sleeping bag. "Let's get dinner."

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, I really appreciate it! I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	41. Chapter 41

Eventually the way it worked out was April chased Spike out of the kitchen so Leonardo could help.

"Well of course he can cook," Spike utters, watching the kitchen with her arms crossed. "Sure he can."

Donatello laughs. "Jealous?"

"Of Leo? Nah. Maybe just irritated that he can do everything."

"Not everything. He can't fix up a turtle assault van, can he?" Donatello asks. "We've all got strengths and weaknesses. Things we should work on."

"Yeah."

"You know Raph was up again," Donatello remarks.

"Yeah. Went through the livin' room. Headed to the dojo. How'd you know? Super hearing?"

"I was in the lab."

"Donnie, ever hear of sleep? It's a wonderful thing."

Donatello chuckles. "Yeah, and even used it on occasion. I was working on something though. That collar that you brought back that Leatherhead had? It matches the signature of the device Karai gave Irma to use on it."

"Wait, so are they in league? Bishop and the Foot?"

"I doubt it, but you never know. But this means that Agent Bishop didn't make that on his own. It belongs to the Kraang and the Foot clan."

Spike frowns. "Then…"

"The Foot have these things too then. Who knows what they could control?" Donatello raises his arms. "You see?"

"Does Leo know?" She asks.

"Yes. I told him this morning, he's not happy."

Spike sighs. "It's incredibly frustrating, not knowing. Up against guys like this."

He nods. "I know. I remember back before we were involved in _anything _quite like this."

"Like when you were just bustin' the Foot in subways?" Spike asks. "Boy you guys scared the heck out of us. Imagine, if we hadn't gone down there, we might never have met y'all."

Donatello cocks his head. "Never thought of that. I guess not. Or if you and April hadn't climbed up the building."

"We may have lived in blissful ignorance."

He shrugs. "On the other hand, we've gotten some great times with you guys. It's been fun having humans around."

"There are times I forget you're turtles," she admits.

"If only the rest of the world felt the same way."

"People don't know what they're missing," she says firmly. "The problem with the world is simply that if you don't look a certain way, you're not as good somehow. In school, the pretty girls are on top. In life, the good looking people get the most attention it seems. I know it's corny, but it really is the inside that counts."

"Sounds like Beauty and the Beast," Donatello remarks.

"I like that movie for a reason," Spike reminds him.

"Really? Raph does too. Maybe he's got the same thinking."

"Wouldn't surprise me."

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, I really appreciate it.**

**I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	42. Chapter 42

The week after Thanksgiving was grey and miserable, as was noted by all members of the Team Turtle Power, as Michelangelo had dubbed them.

"November is the Thursday of the year," Irma grumbles. "Nothing happens and you're bored and irritable."

"Don't say nothing happens," Leonardo warns.

"Now something is going to happen," Michelangelo informs her. "And it might be bad."

"It probably will be," Spike remarks.

"Pessimist," April accuses.

Casey shrugs. "I could use some trouble. I want to pound something."

Donatello grimaces as he looks up from his wrist computer. "You might get your wish. Sensors are picking up heavy Foot clan activity in the southwestern part of the city."

"One day, I'll learn to keep my mouth shut," Irma mutters.

"Let's roll, guys." Leonardo stands. "Sensei, we're heading out."

He nods. "Be careful."

"Bye Lily!" Michelangelo hollers as they head to the turtle van.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Here we are." Leonardo stands. "Okay, assess the situation and then we move."

"Wake me up when we get to the moving part," Raphael mutters.

Leonardo turns. "Shh. Donnie?"

Donatello puts a hand up to his earpiece. "Tuning in now." He frowns. "No communications." He pulls his goggles down and peers at the building. "Traces of mutagen…..yep we got mutants. Slash."

"Slash is the real big turtle, right?" Casey asks. "You guys told me about him."

"Yeah." Leonardo opens the door. "Stay together, and keep your guard up, got it?"

"Yes sir," April salutes.

"Should we get codenames?" Michelangelo asks as he climbs out. "That'd be cool."

"Maybe another time." Donatello hands out earpieces. "These will allow us to stay in touch at all times."

"Let's go, guys," Leonardo says.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Kicking the door down is not a particularly ninja move but it's what Raphael does anyway.

As he does so, four Foot soldier drop on him from above with a metal collar.

"Hey," Casey protests, leaping to his aid. By the time he reaches, the collar has been snapped around his neck. Raphael freezes and turns.

"That's a mind control collar!" Spike shouts. "Run!" She grabs Casey's arm and dashes to a corner.

Leonardo and his team roll in a window as four more soldiers fall onto their leader in blue and collar him in the same way.

"Irma! Get over here!" Spike bellows. Irma turns, fear in her eyes, and flies to their side. April follows her.

"Guys, what's going on?" Michelangelo asks before he and Donatello's collars snap around their necks.

The four turtles turn to the humans.

Irma, Casey, April and Spike back into a corner.

"Are those the mind control collars?" April asks.

Irma gulps. "Yes."

**Uh-oh.**

**Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, I really appreciate it. I'll see y'all in the next chapter! **


	43. Chapter 43

It hits Spike at an odd moment that she's afraid. Of the mind controlled turtles.

Spike knows that they're hopelessly outmatched. There are just as many humans as turtles, yes. But the humans are less skilled, not as fast or strong. Her mind runs through possible scenarios as they press into the corner.

"Any ideas?" April asks.

"Attack," Casey suggests.

"You'd have to be out of your mind," Spike murmurs. "Uh….EVASIVE MANUVERS!" she bellows, ducking a swing of the katanas. She rolls to the side, taking Irma with her in the escape. Irma whimpers slightly.

April zig-zags away from the quick movements of Raphael's sais. "What do we do?"

"Fall back and regroup!" Spike calls. "We need a plan!"

"I agree!" Irma shouts. "There's no way we can win this!" She absorbs the crack of Michelangelo's nunchucks on her shoulder as she spins out of the way. "Ouch! Come on!"

Casey dives out the window. Spike boosts April out, then Irma. She squirms out of Donatello's reach as she slides through too.

The ride out is silent and heavy.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Where are my sons?" Splinter cries.

Spike rubs her hand across her face. "Inside the Foot's lair, I'm afraid."

"Under mind control," April explains.

"We need some way to get them out," Casey adds. "So we're comin' up with a plan."

Splinter shakes his head and sighs. "Oh, my sons. Who knows what the Foot will do to them?"

"If I'm right, just control them. But they were a threat, and now they can pretty much do what they want," Spike points out. She stands. "So, we're going in there, and we're getting them out. Tonight. If they stay too long, the Foot will move, and we'll be pretty much helpless to stop them. Casey, April, Irma and I are going at least. We'd really like you to come help as well."

Splinter's ears twitch. "Hm?"

"You taught them everything they know," April points out. "You could help keep them busy while we break the control."

Splinter nods. "Your idea is sound. I will help."

"And I've got another idea," Irma declares. "Leatherhead."

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

Irma pulls the brass knuckles on. "They're a little big…."

"They were mine. Sorry," Spike mutters. April slides her own cestus on, a fingerless metal armor from the wrist to the elbow.

"Do I want to know where you got these?" Casey asks, sliding his fingers through the hole in the deer horn knives.

"From Dad's stash," Spike explains. "These are light, and we're gonna have to be fast. Right, listen up," she says, glancing up at Leatherhead as he crouches. "The turtles all got their own strengths, but they got weaknesses too. Mikey's fast, but keep dancing around him and wear him down. Donnie's a good ninja, but he relies a lot on his legwork. Take them out from under him. Ignore Raph's bulk if possible. I know he hits like a truck, but he's slower. Stay out his way and keep moving. Leonardo's our biggest threat. Best overall ninja. Be unpredictable. Everyone got it?" She glances around.

The group nods.

Spike stands. "Great. Let's go."

**Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know in a review what you think, it really means a lot! I'll see y'all in the next chapter!**


	44. Chapter 44

Irma slides her earpiece on. "Everyone connected?"

"That's affirmative," Spike says. She turns around in her seat in the turtle van and looks at everyone. "This is where their tracker says they are. This isn't Foot HQ, but it's one of their labs. Our mission is to get in there, and get our guys out. Destroying the place is an added bonus."

"We're pretty sure the Foot is after them as soldiers, and DNA farms," April continues. "They've been after them before for that reason. The Foot's mutants tend to not be in their right minds quite as well, and they're looking for what makes the turtles different."

Splinter nods. "Stay together and safe if at all possible."

"Let's go," Casey says, standing.

**_~Danger Deals a Blow~_**

"Why do we need codenames again?" Casey mutters.

"In case we get intercepted, Bosley," Irma says, rolling her eyes.

"On Leatherhead's signal, we move," April whispers.

The door blows down.

"That was it."

Splinter leads the rush in the door.

Irma ducks under Donatello's arm and draws her daggers. Leatherhead shoves back at Leonardo.

April points up. "Foot soldiers! Why aren't they doing anything?"

"It's fairly obvious," Irma grunts. "They think the turtles are going to finish us off." She dives between Donatello's legs.

"Jones, cover me," Spike barks, skirting around Raphael's range. "We need to get at their collars!"

Casey turns, and gets his legs swept out from under him by Michelangelo. He hits the ground.

"Jones?" Spike turns. "Casey!" Raphael's arm catches her and sends her smashing into the wall. She gingerly raises her hand to the side of her face, feeling the split skin.

Leatherhead moves to fend off Raphael while Splinter takes care of Leonardo.

Irma lands next to Spike and grunts. "Ouch…" She glances over. "What do we do?"

"Stick to the plan," Spike groans, standing.

"This is going to be like riding a bull!" Irma exclaims. "I can't hack fast enough!"

"Just try!" Spike ducks as Raphael's fist smashes into the wall over her head. "Go, Irma!" She shoves back at him. He grabs her arm and spins her, crushing her into the wall again. Her mind races for ways out of the situation. She kicks back, desperately, connecting with his kneecap. April leaps onto him, yanking backward.

Unfortunately, it doesn't do much.

Irma rolls away from Michelangelo's attack, glaring grimly at the metal collar encircling his neck.

Donatello throws Casey across the room.

Leatherhead pulls Raphael back into battle. April runs to Spike. "Are you hurt?"

"Not really."

Donatello pushes Spike aside. As she hits the ground, something lands in front of her.

Spike glances up. The hacking device that Karai had given them.

It had fallen out of Donatello's pack.

Spike grabs a hold of it and presses her earpiece. "Irma, I think I got an idea!"

**Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you think, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	45. Chapter 45

"Go long!" Spike shouts, rolling to her feet and throwing the device in Irma's direction. She dives for it and catches it, somersaulting away from Michelangelo's attack.

"Got it!"

"Get Mikey first!" Spike shouts.

Casey turns. "How?"

"Keep him occupied!"

Casey, Spike and Irma head for Michelangelo. Michelangelo throws a punch. Casey grabs his arm and yanks it back as Spike boosts Irma up onto his shell. She hangs on as Michelangelo tears his arm from Casey's grip and cracks him across the chest with his nunchucks. Irma gets her arm around Michelangelo's throat and presses the device into the control circuit before getting shaken off.

Michelangelo stops and shakes his head and groans. He glances up with the familiar warm blue eyes with a confused expression. "Irma? What happened?" He reaches for the collar. "Oh man!" He rips it off. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not really," Irma assures him. "Come on! We got to get the other three!"

April falls back to join them. "Get Donnie!"

Irma takes the device from Michelangelo's collar as Donatello approaches. "I need to get up there."

"No problem." Michelangelo stops the swing of Donatello's staff. "Climb aboard, Irma."

Irma scrambles up his shell and leaps to Donatello's back, slapping the device onto it and rolling off. "Okay!"

Leatherhead turns. "Progress?"

"Two down, two to go!" April calls.

"Great. Now we just need to take out the big guns," Casey remarks.

The Foot soldiers, noting something going wrong, drop down as Donatello rips his own collar off. "Gah! What happened?"

"Mind control," April explains.

"Hand me the device," Irma says. "We need to get the other two and fend off these guys."

Donatello passes her the hacking device and heads towards the Foot soldiers. "No problem."

"Leatherhead, Spike, keep Raph busy!" Irma hollers.

Spike groans. "Why me?"

"Because you're the least likely of us humans to get squished," April suggests.

Spike nods. "Fair enough." She charges in.

Leatherhead, bless that crocodile, has a hold of Raphael's arms. Raphael lashes out briefly, grabbing at Spike's arm. She takes his wrist and does something she hasn't in a while.

She bites him firmly.

He blinks at her just as Irma jumps and slaps the device into the control mechanism in the collar.

Raphael blinks again as his head clears. "Leatherhead? Spike? Did you just….." he glances down. "Bite me?"

"Uh, yeah. For a good cause. You gonna help bash Foot soldiers or just stand here gaping like a fish?"

Raphael glares and shakes Leatherhead's grip. "Let me at them."

**Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you thought, it really helps. I'll see you in the next chapter!**


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